Building record 4666/3/1 - Gayton Manor House

The Manor House at Gayton built in around 1540 with some extensions in the 19th century.

{1} House. Mid/late C16 with C18 extensions, restored 1923. Coursed squared limestone with some ironstone, ironstone dressings, roof mostly late C18 plain tiles with part of original stone slate roof retained on lower edges, brick lateral and stone ridge stacks. Cruciform plan orientated approximately on cardinal points. 2 storeys and attic. House faces south and forms symmetrical composition with 3-storey gabled bay windows to gable ends of front and side wings. Bay windows are canted to ground and first floors. Central bay window has 3 lights to ground and first floors, 2 lights to attic, with single lights to sides and 2-light basement or cellar window. Central wing is flanked by 2-storey porches in angles either side with Tudor-arched doors, 3-light windows above door and to first floor with side-lights to south, 1-light windows to ground floor sides and plain stone-coped parapets. 3-light windows to ground and first floors of projecting wings facing south. Bay windows to ends of side wings have 4 lights to ground and first floors with king mullions; 3 lights to attic and side-lights. That to east has 4-light cellar window with king mullion, that to west lighting hall has larger ground floor window with transom to front at level of sills of side-lights and cutting plinth. Rear wing housing staircase is slightly shorter and has no bay window; door to right with wood lintel and straight hood on brackets, 2-light window to left, a 3-light mezzanine window, pair of 2-light windows to first floor and 3-light attic window. Wing flanked by 2-storey C18 lean-to extension to right, one storey lean-to extension to left with casement windows. All original windows have hollow-chamfered stone mullions and arched lights with cut spandrels, except for chamfered mullions of east wing cellar window. Original windows and doors have hood moulds. Moulded plinth, stone-coped gables with kneelers and ironstone quoins. Interior Hall has large moulded Tudor-arched stone fireplace and moulded bar-stop-chamfered spine beans, Small gallery to inner corner with turned balusters believed formerly to have extended the full length of inner end wall. Door to stairs has chamfered wood surround, that to porch moulded stone surround. Panelled drawing room has Tudor-arched stone fireplace with cut spandrels and ornamental wood surround with fluted pilasters, carved panel and overmantel. Panelling divided in sections by fluted pilasters. Similar pilasters flank doors which have straight hoods on console brackets, that to porch formerly with pedimental fretwork. Dog-leg staircase has turned balusters and octagonal newel posts with square finials. A secondary straight flight with serpentine splat balusters leads to attic. Door to drawing room has Tudor-arched wood surround with initials FBT on shield in left carved spandrel, knot to right spandrel. Door at head of stairs leading to first floor has double-leaf doors with horizontal oval in quartered central rectangular panel to each leaf. First floor lobby originally open to present bedroom opposite stairs which has round wood pillar just within present partition wall near corners either side and stone corner fireplaces with Tudor-arched heads and cut spandrels either side of front bay window. One fireplace appears to be a dummy for symmetry, with no flue. Similar larger fireplaces to rooms either side of lobby. Moulded stop-chamfered spine beans. Partition wall of bedroom to east occupies original position. Stone cellar or basement opens off inner end of hall. Almost certainly built not as manor house but lodge, perhaps with detached kitchen. Originally owned by Tanfield family, sold 1607 by Sir Francis Tanfield. Said to have been built 1540 by Francis Tanfield who died 1558 and is buried with his wife Bridget in the church (q,v,). The plan of the house is similar to that of Lyveden New Beild, but does not, in this case, appear to have any religious significance. (J. Alfred Gotch, 'Architecture of the Renaissance in England', second edition, 1914, p.187 and fig. 195; J. Alfred Gotch, 'The Old Halls and Manor Houses of Northamptonshire', 1936, p.72; Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.222).

{6} The manor house at Gayton was built in 1540. It has been altered little since except for some 19th c extensions, and is in fine condition.This house is outstanding. See photograph.

{7} Two undated photos, one in colour;

{8} Sketches with dimensions, tracings, two lithographs,;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 8/43 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F09 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<4> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 222-223 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<5> 1958, Ordnance Survey 6" Series, (unchecked) (Map). SNN61491.

<6> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, unchecked (Notes). SNN110341.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Gayton (Photographs). SNN112169.

<8> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/119/1,2,8,9,11-14 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2025 4:24PM