Listed Building: Cottesbrooke Hall (4+14/121)

Country House, c.1702-13. Architect unknown but reputed to be Francis Smith of Warwick with extensions by Robert Mitchell c1770-95. Brick with ashlar dressings, with lead and slate roofs. Double pile symmetrical house with attached pavilions, 2 storeys with basement and attic. South front, house of 7 window range divided 2:3:2 by giant pilasters with Corinthian capitals supporting entablature with pulvinated frieze and modillion cornice breaking forward above the capitals of each pilaster. Above the cornice is a parapet of alternating plain and balustraded panels with urns above the pilasters. Central doorcase with attached pillars supporting entablature and scroll pedement decorated with florets and foliage. The glazed double door is set in a finely moulded stone architrave. Tall 15 paned sash window with moulded stone surrounds. The shallow pitched roof is not visible. Brick stacks symmetrically above pilasters. Central lead spirelet with weathervane. The bowed ends of the north front are visible projecting to either side of the south front. The flanking pavilions are linked by quadrants of 7-bays separated by diminative Ionic pilasters. The central bay of each quadrant has a shallow stone niche with acanthus leaves springing from the keystone. Each pavilion is single storey with basement and attic. South elevations: Central windows with moulded stone architraves and flanking rusticated pilasters supporting a pediment which is carried above eaves level. Hipped roofs with round-headed dormers. The elevations facing the forecourt are similar with central Tuscan entrances. North front: Similar with additional flanking bays 1795 by Robert Mitchell. Central entrance and steps added in 1937. Each pilaster has a separate entablature. The east and west fronts are dominated by the large bows added by Mitchell in 1795 to terminate the extension to the north front these are in a neo-classical style. Interior: Entrance hall, centre of north front; moulded cornice with early roccoco ceiling of 1750. Dining room to left of entrance; moulded wood doorcases, fireplace with freestanding columns of veined brown jasper. Adam style ceiling of wreathed laurel and foliage by Mitchell. Drawing room to right of entrance; marble fireplace, ceiling of interlacing patterns incorporating urns and foliage with similar motifs in cornice; probably by Mitchell. Central spine corridor has arcaded ceiling with roundel decoration. Main staircase: Early C18 between north and south fronts has black Northamptonshire marble treads with fine wrought iron balustrade by William Marshall. Roccoco wall panel decoration of 1760 incorporating urns with eagle and lion in main first-floor panels, forge arch-headed window at half landing. Pine room: originally the entrance hall, contains original bolection moulding panelling. Roccoco ceiling of 1750. Library to right of pine room has screen with columns at south end and fireplace with Roccoco overmantel re-set from elsewhere in 1937. First-floor: Empress suite of 2 rooms, south front both with marble fireplaces the right having Wedgewood style insets. North front, east room has Adam style fireplace and frieze. West room has marble fireplace with brown reeded inlay. The Ballroom, in the west pavilion was formed from kitchens in 1937 has a chimney piece from Woburn Abbey. The study to the left of ballroom has C17 panelling from Pytchley Old Hall. Garden features with lead and stone urns attached to south front. C18 walls with gatepiers attached to south front of pavilions and to rear of west pavilion and offices at rear of west quadrant. The house was remodelled by Lord Wellesley in 1937-38 and the main entrance changed from the south to the north front. (Buildings of England : Northamptonshire p.163)

Record last edited

Dec 9 2021 10:17AM