Building record 325/2/1 - Marston House

A 16th to 17th century country house with some medieval work remaining. Remodelled in 1730. With 19th century additions.

{1} Country House. C16-C17, incorporating medieval work. Remodelled c.1730, C19 additions. Squared coursed ironstone and limestone, stone slate roof, stone stacks. Garden front U-plan, irregular rear and sides. Garden front to south, 2 storeys with attic, 5 bays. Central doorway has Gibbs surround with triangular pediment and 6-panel door. 2 windows on each side with plain stone frames and 8-pane sashes. Similar windows first floor, straight moulded stone parapet, 2 gabled attic dormers. Gabled roof with central stack. Projecting wings on each side separately roofed, 2 storeys and attic, 3 bays, have 8 pane sash windows in plain stone frames, straight moulded stone parapets, gabled attic dormers, hipped roofs. C19 extension to right, with hipped slate roof. 2 storeys, 5 bays has 8 pane sash windows with stone lintels. Entrance front on north has projecting 2 storey centre block of 3 irregular bays with hipped roof. Doorway with eared architrave, scroll pediment on brackets and 6-panel door with fanlight. Sash window on either side with plain stone frames. Similar windows on first floor. Left of central projection on first floor are 2 late C17 two-light windows with wood mullions and transoms and leaded panes. To right of centre, one bay block containing staircase has 2 one-light windows with leaded panes on ground floor, large sash window with arched head above, and hipped roof. West (right) side is said to have 2 blocked stone mullioned windows, obscured by foliage at time of survey. Wing projecting left of entrance front: 2 storeys and attic, 3 bays, with sash windows. Interior: Central block, former medieval hall, has C14 arch-braced timber roof. Smoking Room on ground floor has early C17 panelling. Elaborately carved overmantel with date 1611 has 4 half columns decorated with bosses and strapwork, framing arched centrepiece with heraldic shield, strapwork and carved head. Square side panels with grotesque heads in strapwork frames. Walls have fluted pilasters of composite order and carved frieze of rosettes and bosses. Blocked doorway with carved wooden pediment in wall to right of entrance. Study has fireplace with projecting wall above it supported on 2 stone Doric columns. Fireplace has early C18 stone bolection moulded surround. C14 stone head corbels reset around study walls. Drawing Room fireplace c.1750 (brought from elsewhere), wood and terracotta, has eared architrave and frieze with swags of flowers in relief. Early C18 open-well staircase with 3 turned balusters to each tread and tread ends carved with acanthus scrolls. The newel posts are fluted Doric columns. First floor room has panelling of c.1600 with frieze of acanthus scrolls. Stone fireplace with 4-centred arch and carved wooden overmantel with blind arcading, strapwork and crest. Early C18 bolection panelling in bedrooms and first floor corridor which has C16-C17 stained glass shields with coats of arms of Blencowe family in the windows. The gardens were landscaped in the C18 and have a chain of 5 lakes. In a garden wall west of the house is a re-set stone dated 1569. The house belonged to the Blencowe family from the C16 until c.1955. A west wing was burnt down c.1920. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.302-2; Robert Taylor (R.C.H.M.) pers. comm.).

{3} Marston Hall was rebuilt in the first part of the 18th century.

{4} Three undated photos;

{6} Drawing of arms of Blencowe and Pargiter;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 7/152 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F02 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.101 site 16 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<4> Photographs of buildings in Marston St Lawrence (Photographs). SNN112800.

<5> Historic England, MARSTON HOUSE, MARSTON ST LAWRENCE, BF061884 (Archive). SNN115520.

<6> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/182/1 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Mar 6 2024 2:28PM