Listed Building: Fawsley Hall (1075281)

Country house. Early C16, north range of 1732 attributed to Francis Smith, remodelled by Thomas Cundy 1815 and again by Anthony Salvin mid C19, when raised, and south-east wing of 1867-8 by Salvin. Coursed squared ironstone with limestone dressings, tiled roof, and brick ridge, lateral and end stacks. Courtyard plan partially open to north. Great Hall: 5-window range includes tall 2-storey bay window right of centre, half octagonal in plan, mullion and transom Tudor-arched windows with tracery heads with miniature buttresses and brattishing to transoms, continued above eaves as complete octagon with 2-light arch-mullion windows, coat of arms with hood mould below central window and battlemented parapet left of bay window. 3-light arch-mullion windows set high in wall and divided by offset buttresses, one similar window to right. Similar windows to rear divided by buttresses, large rear lateral stack of dressed ironstone finished with C19 brick and fine service door with moulded Tudor arch and carved spandrels. To left and right of hall range large C19 Tudor style wings with grey sandstone dressings. Surviving part of early C16 kitchen range to south of 2 and 3 storeys with gabled old tile roofs, brick lateral and ridge stacks. Irregular fenestration with 1, 2 and 3-light arch-mullion windows. Chamfered Tudor-arch door to left with hood mould, slightly later C16 projecting wing to right with similar windows and fine 2-storey oriel with battlemented parapet flanked by offset buttresses and large lateral stack on corbels to right side; further 3-storey gabled bay with similar 1 and 3-light arch mullion windows and door to right. To courtyard similar 2-light windows and moulded Tudor-arch doorway with C16/C17 plank door. Early C16 Brewhouse range to west has irregular 5-window range of similar 2 and 3-light windows and similar central chamfered doorway; overlight above with chamfered stone surround with 3-light wood mullion window. Large rear lateral stack to courtyard with C18 brick flue. North gable wall has fine first floor oriel with arch-mullion and transom lights and side pieces of 2 similar lights. 1-light arch mullion window in gable above and similar 2-light window below left of centre. Interior: Great Hall has impressive stone fireplace with quatrefoil frieze, a foliage frieze above and castellated cresting; blocked window above. Bay window has panelled jambs and a fan vault with big Tudor Rose central boss. Kitchens have huge hollow chamfered fireplaces back-to-back, passage ends resting on round pillars with octagonal bases with chamfered 4-centred arches to passage, stone bread cupboards, stone-flagged floors. In kitchen wing, rooms with moulded and chamfered cross-beamed ceilings to ground and first floors with 4-centred arch fireplaces, a large second floor room with arched brace collar truss roof and adjacent parlour with barrel-vaulted ceiling with thin quatred moulded beams. Room behind oriel adjoining to south has similar barrel-vaulted ceiling, huge moulded cornice, close-studded west wall and 4-centred moulded arch fireplace. Recently installed and re-arranged a mid C17 staircase from Ashley Park, Surrey (dem). Salvin wings weatherproof but gutted, south-east wing retaining portions of Elizabethan style plaster ceilings to ground floor state rooms. Fawsley Hall was first built in early C16 in various stages, chiefly by Sir Edmund Knightley. Seat of the Knightleys till World War II. It became a timber factory in 1960's, at which time the Great Hall lost its original roof. Kitchen and Brewhouse ranges recently restored by present owner. (Buildings of England: Northants, p.214-215; Country Life: July 1908).

Record last edited

Aug 18 2023 12:29PM