Building record 676/2/1 - Sulby Hall

House built by Sir John Soane in the 1793-4. Soane was again consulted when the house was significantly enlarged in 1824, but the extent of his contribution is not known. The house was demolished in 1949.

{1} A new house was built at Sulby in the 1790s to designs by John Soane (1735-1837). Soane was again consulted in 1824 when the house was doubled in size, although the full extent of Soane's contribution to this later phase cannot now be determined.
Sulby was demolished in 1949 but its plans and elevations can be reconstructed from surviving drawings, photographs of the enlarged house, and a survey plan made just before demolition. Plans included.
The house built to Soane's designs in 1793-4 was of two storeys with basement and attics. It was entered by a small pedimented porch in the recessed centre of the five-bay north front. The round-headed outer ground floor windows on both main fronts were set within shallow recesses which on the entrance façade were dropped to frame the semi-circular windows of the basement. In the centre of the south garden front was a large canted bow, providing on each floor a principal room with curved sides, that on the upper floor rising into the attic space. The staircase, to the west of the entrance hall, was set within an oval compartment. There was a short two-storey service range to the west.
Soane was again consulted on 1824 about altering the house. His two visits to Sulby in that year suggest that the enlargements executed shortly afterwards must owe something at least to his proposals. The service wing was demolished and the house enlarged by the addition of large reception rooms to either side, and a new entrance front. A new principal staircase was inserted in the former entrance hall and a new D-shaped entrance hall added in front, with a large oval bedroom above. The new entrance front had a central bow with Corinthian columns supporting a bold entablature and pilasters inset from rounded corners, devices reminiscent of Soane's work at Tyringham (Buckinghamshire) of c.1800. The south front was heightened and blind panels added above the first floor windows. Two shallow canted bays, at the end of each of the new rooms, repeated the original bow in the centre. A new kitchen and service range was built in line to the west, single storey initially, but heightened shortly after 1912 when bedrooms were added.

{6} The house of 1792-5 built by Sir John Soane was demolished c.1948.

{7} "Sulby Hall" No.26. Index only; sketch not found in Vol.17.

{8} "Sulby Hall". Very faint sketch; the house is hardly visible but detail of planting within the parkland is shown.

{4} In 1792 Rene Payne of Welford employed John Soane to design a house on land at Sulby which he had purchased ten years before. The estate passed to Payne's grandson George, and when the later came of age he enlarged the house and lived there in some style. He served as sheriff in 1826 and became Master of Pytchley Hunt. His extravagence and gambling led him to sell Sulby in 1847, after which the house had several owners.

{11} The museum holds the designs executed by Soane for a new house for Rene Payne, 1792-5, for a bridge and (unexecuted) designs for additions for George Payne, 1824. As well as designs for offices and for a bridge, Soane designed the stables (for which no drawings survive). Rene Payne's father established the bank of Smith and Payne, with Abel Smith II, in 1758. Rene Payne personally owned a coffee plantation in Dominica, had some involvement with estates in Grenada and a possible interest in the cargo of 313 enslaved people carried by a ship called the Marlborough in 1772-73.

<1> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.315-6 (part checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<2> 1949, NRO Map 1643, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN106461.

<3> 1949, NRO Map 1644, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN106462.

<4> Gotch J.A., 1939, Squires' Homes and Other Old Buildings of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN39616.

<5> Stroud D., 1984, Sir John Soane Architect, (unchecked) (Book). SNN106463.

<6> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.420 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<7> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45717.

<8> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, 24 (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN46349.

<9> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<10> Historic England, SULBY HALL, SULBY, BF061895 (Archive). SNN116324.

<11> Sir John Soane's Museum London, Sir John Soane's Museum Collection Online, https://collections.soane.org/SCHEME1093 [Accessed 17/05/2024] (Website). SNN116355.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2024 11:44AM