Moy House

Moy House

This is a substantial three-storey classical mansion of the mid 18th century, with a complex building history spanning from 1752 to 1870. The main house was designed by John Adam in 1762–3, with earlier work carried out by Colin (Collen) Williamson of Dyke in 1752 and 1762. Further additions and alterations were made by Alexander Ross in 1870.

The building presents a U-plan arrangement, with the central five-bay block flanked by lower three-storey wings projecting to the east, themselves dating from the early to mid 18th century or possibly earlier (1752 or before). Additional irregular two-storey gabled ranges with piended roofs were added to the north and south in 1870.

The principal façade to the west is constructed of cherry-pointed squared tooled ashlar with simulated cherry-pointing applied over harled rubble at the raised basement level. The eastern and other elevations are harled rubble except where the 1870 additions employ tooled rubble. Tooled and polished ashlar is used throughout for dressings.

The west front features a centrepiece of considerable architectural refinement. A porticoed entrance occupies a narrow centre bay, approached by a flight of steps that overspans the raised basement. The entrance doorway is round-headed and flanked by side lights, with engaged Roman Doric columns supporting a cornice. Above this rises a Venetian landing window with Ionic columns and a deep moulded entablature, topped with a naive mask carved into the keystone.

The east front presents a symmetrical three-storey, five-bay composition. The central entrance lies at raised basement level and is surmounted by a round-headed door under a corniced doorpiece with flanking thin engaged Ionic columns. The doorway is flanked by three-bay advanced wings on each side, each of which features a blocked entrance within the re-entrant angle. The extended first-floor centre window was possibly lengthened at a later date to accommodate a balcony, now lost. The earlier wings terminate in symmetrical two-window return gables.

Throughout both principal elevations, the second storey is notably low and fenestrated with small windows. The glazing varies across the building: the main block contains windows with 6-, 9-, 12- and 15-pane configurations, some featuring thick astragals, while others are blanked; the 1870 additions employ modern 2-pane glazing. Blind windows are present on the main façades. The earlier wings display flat skews with moulded undersides and run-off skewputts; the centre block (1862–3) features a moulded eaves cornice. The roofs are gabled and piended with slate, while the 1870 extensions include canted bay windows and slated gabled roofing.

Chimneystack details vary by period: the earlier wings have coped and necked end and wallhead stacks, while the centre block is topped with corniced twin ridge stacks.

To the south lies a service court flanked by a pair of rusticated ashlar gatepiers with ball finials (one now missing). At the southern boundary, the court connects to two-storey service buildings with a three-bay south front, a forestair at the east gable providing access to a first-floor dwelling, and a round-headed entrance with flanking lights.

The interior of the main house contains a cantilevered stone staircase with moulded risers and underside, decorated with cast-iron balusters. The stairhall ceiling is moulded.

The former dining room is accessed from the landing via a centre door with a corniced overdoor to the landing and a pedimented overdoor to the room itself. It retains fielded panelled doors and window shutters, together with a carved overmantel incorporating a modern grate.

The former drawing room is more elaborately finished, with an ornate plaster centre ceiling rose and moulded cornice. The doors are fielded and panelled with moulded surrounds. A carved wooden overmantel frames the original grate, which has a marble slip and black enamel surround with brass insets bearing portraits, apparently of King George III and the Prince of Wales. A panelled dado runs around the room.

The second-floor centre bedroom features a heavy lugged doorpiece to its half-landing.

The raised basement contains two vaulted wine cellars. The ground-floor southwest room, formerly the "low dining room", retains a guilloche moulded ceiling cornice. Other doors and window shutters throughout the basement are finished with fielded panelling.

A pair of square rusticated ashlar gatepiers with moulded cornices and ball finials flank two entrances at the west.