Building record 7034/1/1 - Bulwick Hall and attached entrance loggia and garden room

Country house mainly dated to about 1730 although the 1676 datestone refers to the remodelling of an earlier house. Enlarged in 1805. Altered in 1838 and during the mid 20th century.

{1} Country house. Datestone 1676 refers to rebuilding of earlier house for James Tryon, remodelled about 1730 for Charles Tryon, enlarged 1805, by W.D. Legg of Stamford, for Thomas Tryon and service range rebuilt 1838; some service buildings removed mid C20. Limestone ashlar and rendered limestone with Collyweston and Welsh slate roofs. Double depth plan forming an L-shape with the attached loggia. 2 storeys with attic. Main front is a 12-window range of sash windows, with glazing bars, and moulded stone architraves. Opening to first floor, far right, has a glazed door gaving access to the roof of the entrance loggia. Doorway in fourth bay from left has Gibbs surround. 6-panel door and rectangular fanlight with diagonal glazing bars. Similar door to far right has moulded stone surround and gives access from the entrance loggia. Plain plinth and raised band between floors. 4 roof dormers with sash windows. Hipped roof with ashlar stacks rising from centre valley. This elevation was remod lled about 1730, the eight windows to the right retain evidence of transoms outside the C18 archtrave. Tryon arms above door to right. Bay attached to far left of main front is c.1805. Shallow bow front with 3 curved sash windows with glazing bars. Sunk panels below cills. Hipped roof behind cornice, with low parapet. Entrance loggia, attached at right angles to far right, is of 7 bays of segmental arches with keyblocks and rusticated surrounds. Each pier has a moulded plinth. Moulded cornice has open balustrade, above, with turned balusters. Rear wall of loggia has central arch-head entrance doorway flanked by small arch-head doorways and arch-head niches. Datestone 1676 on centre keyblock. Garden room attached to right of loggia is probably of 1730 remodelling. Single-storey, 2-window range of sash windows with moulded cornices similar to main house. Roof not visible behind plain parapet. Elevation to right has French doors with moulded stone architraves. Entrance front of loggi has centre 3 bays breaking forward all in horizontally chanelled ashlar. Central carriage arch with segmental head and doors with bolection moulded panels. Flanking Tuscan pilasters and blocked windows with moulded architraves and cornices. To the south of the carriage arch is a small spy hole. Balustrade similar to other elevation. Walls flanking centre 3 bays are rendered. Moulded keyblock above carriage arch has datestone 1676. End elevation of main front of hall, to right, is a 2-window ange of 2-light stone mullion windows with transoms. The bay to the left is c.1676 and the bay to the right is C19. Rear elevation has wings breaking forward to left of centre and to far right. C19 two- and three-light stone mullion windows some with transoms. The gable to the far right is rendered and was truncated mid C20. Interior: entrance hall to far right of main front has a plaster ribbed ceiling probably of 1838. The Dining Room, to the left, has a reset grey marble fire surround with wooden outer surround enriched with leaf decoration. The Library, to the left of the Dining Room, has an orange marble fireplace with fluted pilasters. A secret door gives access to the Dining Room. The Staircase Hall, to the left of the Library, has an early C19 staircase with stick balustrade and scroll brackets rising around an open well. Plaster ceiling, probably of 1809 by John Tillson of Stamford, has a foliage centre set in an octagon enriched with a Greek fret. The Ante-Room, to the lef of the Staircase Hall, has an early C19 marble fireplace with reeded surround. Flanking arch head recesses. Drawing Room, to far left, is c.1805-6 by Legge, walls painted with late C20 mural. A cellar doorway, behind the Staircase Hall, has a chamfered surround and may be C16; there is also said to be a 2-light stone mullion window in the cellar and a similar reset window with arch-head lights in the service range. Some first floor rooms said to have early C19 fireplaces and attic room sai to have some reset C18 panelling. Garden room has reset C16 fireplace with pairs of decorated columns and central crest. Panelled walls. There are 2 small rooms, flanking the main carriage arch, which were used as entrance lodges. Moses Tryon bought Bulwick Manor in 1617. He also owned Harringworth Manor which was then the principal residence of the Tryons. Bulwick Hall became their principal residence in the early/mid C18 and passed by marriage to the Conant family.

{6} Bulwick was built in 1676 on the site of a 16th century house and incorporates some of its fabric. The house appears to have been inwardlooking - an old fashioned arrangement for a house of this date. Bulwick was reduced in size and refitted about 1732 and altered again in 1805.

{8} Willowbrook divides the town - part called Henwick from Bulwick. In Henwick is the seat of Mr Tryon, Lord of the Manor. It was built about 40 years ago and hath very good gardens. John foxley succeeded to manor on death of father, few years after sold it to Abraham Tryon of Dutch extraction.

{9} According to Bridges was purchased by Abraham Tryon about end of reign of James I; now occupied by Mrs Conant; present house was built C18th by one of Tryons to simple design; from outer entrance of arcade is pleasant vista along grass walk enclosed between flower borders & low hedges up to some handsome gates which lead to park; ground falls steeply to left & descent by attractive flight of steps to lawn enclosed by shrubberies; Figs.16+17 show entrance arcade & gates into park.

{10} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/3 (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.130 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.25 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<5> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<6> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.112-114 (part checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<7> 1728, Map of Bulwick (NRO Map 763a), (unchecked) (Map). SNN102457.

<8> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.288 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<9> Gotch J.A., 1939, Squires' Homes and Other Old Buildings of Northamptonshire, 6 (checked) (Book). SNN39616.

<10> Photographs of buildings in Bulwick (Photographs). SNN112158.

<11> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 1:10000 1983 (Map). SNN112944.

<12> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), BF112010 (Archive). SNN113295.

<13> Historic England, Undated, Labelled plan of the ground-floor of Bulwick Hall, Bulwick, RCH01/082/01/037 (Archive). SNN114550.

<14> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 147-8 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2024 11:44AM