Building record 1933/2/1 - Finedon Hall

Late 17th century manor house converted to use as a country house during the mid 18th century and altered during the early 19th century.

{1} Country house. Probably C17 and C18, datestones 18S5, 1851, 1856 and 1859 record existing alterations, probably by E.F. Law, for William Mackworth-Dolben. Ironstone ashlar with limestone dressings and slate roof. H-plan, Tudor-Gothic style. Entrance front is 2 storeys with attic. Centre of 5-window range with flanking gables breaking forward. Central porch has panelled door with 4-centred moulded stone head with decorated and inscribed spandrels. Circular turret attached to left of porch forms part of 10-light stone-mullion window with transom, havinq moulded stone panels and quatrefoil parapet above. Ground and first floor windows have C18 plain stone architraves with keyblocks and those at first floor have C19 4-light stone-mullion windows with transoms, inserted into the earlier surround. Centre bay breaks forward with quatrefoil parapet at eaves level and gargoyles at corners, 3 attic windows have Tudor style gables with 3-light stone-mullion windows with shields and trefoil above. Projecting gable to left: has 2-window range similar to centre range. Projecting gable to right has large C19 22-light, square stone-mullion bay window. Return wall to left is similar, of one-window range. Rusticated ashlar quoins to all corners and plain castellated parapets with ashlar copings. Ashlar stacks at ridge and end. Inscription to left gable "Gwell Angau"; continuation in right gable "Na Vywilydd" is missing. Various heraldic shields. Garden front to left of entrance front of 7-window range. Door openings to left and right of centre have moulded stone surrounds, that to left has segmental pediment. 2-storey canted stone bay windows to centre and left of range have quatrefoil parapets. Similar single-storey square stone bay to far left. Windows have stone mullions some with transoms and C18 plain stone architraves. 2- and 3-light attic windows set in Tudor style gables, some now missing. Remains of various inscriptions and carved heads. Elevation to right of main front is plain in similar style with attached wall and ashlar gatepier. Rear elevation has projecting gable to left and twin gables to right. Centre 3-window range, one blocked, with C18 plain stone surrounds with keyblocks, Gable to right has tall, 6-light stone-mullion staircase window with transom. Forms part of a group of buildings including The Museum Tower, Bell Tower, Old Chapel and attached wall (q.v.).

{4} Gothic cum Tudor fantasy 1835-1872. The old house was probably Elizabethan.

{6} 19th century but possibly some Elizabethan remains on the north-west side.

{7} In 1979 the contractor carrying out drainage work showed the then County Archaeologist the well set in the cellar floor. The well had tunnels running off it.

{8} Finedon hall probably built in the 17th century and 18th century. Datestones 1835, 1851, 1856 and 1859 record alterations probably by E.F. Law for William Mackworth-Dolben. H-plan in Tudor-Gothic style. House not published; survey report in NMR.

{9} Two undated photos;

Description from record 1933/2:
{10} "Finedon Hall: both fronts". Mentioned in the index but no sketches have been found in Vol.17.

{11} During 1940, the War Office greatly expanded the numbers if country houses which it occupied in all parts of the country. In the face of the threat of invasion there was a large build-up of the British Army with the training of new recruits and the formation of new regiments and battalions. In 1941 there were over two million troops (British and Colonial) based in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, many of them in country houses. As well as British and American troops, there was a wide range of continental and commonwealth troops based in country houses. Some houses hosted a whole succession. The Free French were also based in Northamptonshire at Finedon Hall, the seat of Major Greaves.

{12} Sir Gilbert Dolben Lord of the Manor hath here a very good mansion house. The manor was sold by Thomas Brudenall to Thomas Mulso, Esq by the 30th year of the reign of Henry VIII (1539). Mulso passed it to his son-in-law Dolben. Illustration of Finedon Place (p.259). Sir Gilbert Dolben was created baronet in 1704 and Sir Gilbert Dolben purchased rest of manor from his brother now Lord of the Manor.

{13} It is however probable that the medieval market lay in the area to the south west of the church, in the former parkland and grounds of the Hall. By the late C13th the manor site had been abandoned. The C19th Hall lies on the site of a C16th manor but it is not clear whether this lay in the ‘bury yard’ apparently mentioned in 1423.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 7/35 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G04 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<3> Bail J.C.H., 1901, Country Life (1901), p.148 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN105825.

<4> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.210 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<5> Bailey J.L.H., 1975, Finedon Otherwise Thingdon: A History of Finedon, p.81+148 (unchecked) (Book). SNN105040.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP97SW(M) (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<7> Hannan, A., 1979, Finedon Hall, (checked) (Letter). SNN108746.

<8> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<9> Photographs of buildings in Finedon (Photographs). SNN111732.

<10> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45714.

<11> ROBINSON J.M., 1989, The Country House At War, (unchecked) (Book). SNN48506.

<12> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<13> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Overview, Appendix 2 (checked) (Report). SNN103118.

<14> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<15> Hold T., 2002, A 'Sad, Sad Narrative': The Death of Digby Dolben, p.48-64 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102629.

<16> Historic England, FINEDON HALL, WELLINGBOROUGH, BF061869 (Archive). SNN115394.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2024 11:51AM