Listed Building: Rushden Hall (1225991)

Country house, now public halls and offices. C14/C15 origins, but mainly early to late C17 for Pemberton family, with mid C19 alterations and extensions. Squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with C20 plain tile roof. Originally probably H-plan, then courtyard. 3 storeys with attic. Early C17 main front of 3-window range with flanking gabled wings breaking forward. Gable ends have 2-storey, semi-circular, bay windows each of 8 lights with stone mullions. Castellated parapets with ball finials. Central range has similar central bay window which is a mid C19 facsimile. C17 studded plank door to right of centre has moulded stone surround with 4-centred arch head. Dutch style shaped gable with openwork semi-circles at apex and 2-light attic windows. Moulded string course between floors. Ashlar stacks at ridge and ends. Entrance front to left of main front is a 6-window range with a central 2-storey porch with castellated parapet having a C19 moulded stone doorway with 4-centred arch head and C19 ribbed door. C19 three-light stone mullion windows, some with transoms. C19 canted stone bay windows to far left and right and gables with ashlar parapets; that to far right breaks forward slightly. Small blank gable to left of centre probably dates from mid C19 remodelling of this elevation. Elevation to right of main front is of squared coursed limestone and probably incorporates part of the cross wing of the medieval house; mainly C20 fenestration with fragment of string course. Range of C19 domestic offices attached at right angles to rear. Rear elevation has 2 C17 four-light stone mullion windows with transoms. Courtyard elevation has one C19 three-light stone mullion window with transom. Interior: original entrance hall to right of main front follows line of original screens passage and has 3 doorways in wall to right with moulded stone surrounds with 4-centred arch heads and sunk spandrels; originally giving access to the service wing of the medieval house. Staircase of C17 origin, remodelled C19, retains some C17 pierced splat balusters. Room to right of entrance hall was formerly the smoking room and has fireplace with 4-centred arch head. Room to left of entrance hall occupies position of medieval hall, was formerly the dining room, and has fireplace with 4-centred arch head, flanking moulded wood caryatids, and panelled overmantel with arcading. Fire back has date 1614; all reset. Hall to centre of C19 entrance front has reset linenfold panelling and carved overmantle depicting storey of St. Ann and Joachim. Fire back with Tudor arms and initials E.R. was probably reset from Higham Ferrers Castle. C19 staircase to right of hall. Former morning room to left and drawing room to right of hall house have mid C19 fireplaces and moulded plaster cornices. Room to rear of courtyard has large chamfered spine beam. First floor room of north range has medieval fireplace with segmental arch head. First floor room to centre of main front has plain barrel vault ceiling and reset C17 panelling around bolection moulded fireplace. Some original roof structure may remain above this room. The hall originally formed part of the Manor of the Peverel family. It was owned by the Pemberton family during C16 and C17. Robert Pemberton, a gentleman usher to Elizabeth I was responsible for some of the building works. The Ekins family owned the hall from mid C16. It passes to Jeremy Sanbrooke in 1735 and his heirs leased it to Thomas Fletcher in 1756 who purchased the property in 1812. Thomas Williams bought the hall in 1823 and it is he who subdivided the house, added the centre bay window and partially remodelled the south elevation. In 1836 it passed to John Barrington Browne who sold to the Satoris family mid C19 who were responsible for various late C19 alterations to the south front and a new kitchen wing. The hall was purchased by the Urban District Council in 1930. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.395; Robin Pearson and Vicki Atkinson, Rushden Hall; David Hall and Ruth Handing, Rushden, a Duchy of Lancaster Village, p.180-187; Robert Slee, Country Life, Vol.142, p.591).

Record last edited

Sep 5 2023 2:31PM