North Cadbury Court

North Cadbury Court is a country house dating from around 1580 to 1610, built for Sir Francis Hastings. It underwent major alterations in the late 18th century, and was remodelled internally in the early 20th century by Tipping. The house is constructed of Cary stone with Doulting stone dressings, and has stone slate roofs with coped gables and ashlar chimney stacks with moulded tops.

The building has a double-pile plan with extensions. The north elevation has four bays, each with a separate gable topped with a small finial. The elevation features two-storey projections to the left of bay two and to the right of bay three. Wave-mould mullioned windows are a prominent feature, with square labels above each. The second floor has four-light windows, while the first floor has eight-light windows with two transoms to the outer bays and four-light windows with a single transom to the inner bays. The ground floor features four-light windows with a single transom, extending to full height in the inner bays and smaller in the outer bays. The projection to bay two is a porch with a semi-circular arched opening flanked by fluted Doric pilasters supporting an entablature. Above the opening is a square panel displaying the Hastings arms, and a four-light transomed window. A frieze with triglyphs and dentilled cornice, and a shaped parapet with a semi-circular crown in the centre complete the porch. A 20-panelled door is located inside, set within a moulded flat arched opening. The projection to bay three is a square bay window with three lights to the side and six to the front; the ground floor has double transoms, and the first floor has a single transom. A rear extension exists on both sides, and in the north-east corner is a small, single-storey projecting wing dating to the 18th century, with five bays, a central pediment, and leaded casement windows.

Originally designed as a ‘U’ shape with projecting wings to the south, these were altered around 1790, filling in the central void and creating a south facade from that period. This range is of four plus three plus four bays, with the central three bays projecting slightly, and a segmental curve bow window, possibly added around 1810, centrally positioned. The south facade is all ashlar, with a plinth, simple cornice moulding, and a plain solid parapet. Twelve-pane sash windows are set within architraves, except for the bow window, which has three similar windows with ‘Y’ tracery to the head. Below, fifteen-pane sashes in architraves reach almost to ground level, with French doors to the five windows of the three central bays. Two flat-roofed dormers are located in the centre.

The interior was substantially refitted with high-quality work in the early 20th century. Surviving original features include a small newel staircase, while the main staircase was renewed and relocated. An ornamental plaster ceiling exists in one first-floor room, and there are several indications of pre-1580 work in the south-west corner. Armorial stained glass from around 1580-1590 is found in the large bay window of the north front, now serving as a stairwell. Sir Francis Hastings, who died in 1610 and is buried nearby in St. Michael's Church, was a Puritan writer and pamphleteer.