Listed Building: Service wing and attached Chapel at Laxton Hall (1233941)

Service wing and orangery to country house now residential home and Roman Catholic Chapel. C.1809 probably to designs by Humphrey Repton carried out by William Carter for George Freke Evans. Orangery reconstructed as a chapel early/mid C20. Squared coursed limestone, limestone ashlar and weatherboarding with Welsh slate roof. Irregular L-shape plan. 2 storeys. Garden front is an irregular 7-window range of casements, those at ground floor are under shallow stone arches and those at first floor are under stone lintels. The ground floor windows correspond with the basement windows of Laxton Hall and attached steps and balustrade (q.v.). Some windows are blind. Hipped roof with brick and ashlar stacks at ridge. One window range, set back to far left, has tripartite sash with a moulded stone surround and is linked by a narrow flat-roofed element to the garden front of Laxton Hall and attached steps and balustrade (q.v.). Former orangery, now a chapel, is attached at right angles to far right. Portico at end of this range has 4, unfluted, Tuscan Columns, with entasis, and a flight of steps. Only the basement walls of the orangery remain, the ground floor has been reconstructed as a weatherboarded structure. Rear elevation of the service wing has a 3-window range to the centre, 2 bays to the left set back and break forward, with doorway to left, and 2 bays to right are stepped forward. Windows are mainly casements, some with leaded lights. The two ranges which form the L-shape plan are linked by a narrow flat-roofed element. Interior: the range immediately adjacent to Laxton Hall has plaster cornices and some C19 fireplaces. The range at right angles to this contained the kitchens. The staircase has a plain iron balustrade by John Baker. The interior has been remodelled during C20. Humphrey Repton was dismissed in 1808, following a dispute, William Carter probably carried out these works to his design. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p289; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p112; Northamptonshire Records Office; Freke Evans (Laxton) Collection and Architectural Drawings Collection)

Record last edited

Sep 5 2023 11:12AM