Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 10/09/2019

SJ 7448-7548
10/32

BETLEY CP
MAIN ROAD (west side)
Betley Court, dovecote, and forecourt walls and gates

(Formerly listed under MAIN STREET, previously listed as Betley Court; dovecote, former stable block, forecourt, grill and gates)

13.9.76

GV
II*

Large house, dovecote, walls and gates. Built in 1716 for John Craddock; late C18 additions by George Wilkinson; alterations of 1809 by John Nash; late C19 and early C20 alterations and additions by William Douglas Caröe. Red and blue chequered brickwork; hipped slate roofs; brick ridge stacks.

Roughly square early C18 core facing east. Wilkinson added two bows to the south front in 1783 and a north-western wing in two phases in 1793 and 1797 and Nash added a third bow to the south front. Caröe built south-west and north-east wings in the late C19 and remodelled the east porch in the 1920s.

East front: two storey five-bay front articulated by a first floor band and giant pilasters. Breaking through the moulded eaves cornice is a taller three-bay centrepiece; the parapet with moulded coping is swept up over a central achievement of arms and is surmounted by five urn finials. Late C19 four-pane sashes within C18 openings with gauged brick heads.

The late C19 porch was remodelled in the 1920s by Caröe: two storeys, three bays central entrance bay with raised key and lintel grooved as voussoirs, and narrow flanking bays of similar character. Above is a glazing bar sash window and flanking niches containing statuettes; ramped sides and moulded stone cornice. Two storey bows to each return of the main house. Set back to the right is Caröe's north-east wing: polychromatic brickwork and hipped roof. Three storeys; reduced proportions to second floor. Two bays of glazing bar sashes and a central lateral stack.

In front of the C18 house is a courtyard enclosed by early C18 wrought iron gates with elaborately worked panels and overthrow, the latter incorporating a wreathed monogram; short sections of railings to each side with scrolled crestings; cast iron stanchions. Flanking low brick walls with stone coping which formerly carried iron railings are terminated to left and right by square C19 gate piers. Side walls sweep round to the house and incorporate smaller pairs of gate piers.

South front: floor band and eaves cornice continue along this 3:4:3 window front which incorporates a conical roofed two-storey bow at each end. Central single-storey bow by Nash with three French casements, moulded cornice and flat roof; otherwise C19 four-pane sashes within C18 openings. Two bay south-west wing by Caröe attached to the left with similar windows to those of the main house.

West elevation: Wilkinson's late C18 north-west wing is of red brick and has a slate roof, hipped to the left. Three storeys, reduced proportions to second floor; dentilled eaves band. Eight bays of C19 sashes in C18 openings with gauged heads. A single storey octagonal building with C18 glazing bar sashes projects forward to the left. Projecting forward to the right is Caröe's south-west wing: two storeys with hipped roof; square bay window to ground floor with moulded stone cornice, and a single four-pane sash to the first floor. Beyond Wilkinson's range to the left is a two storey, four bay brick range of various dates which links the house to the dovecote.

The dovecote is late C17/early C18. Red brick with blue brick headers (Flemish bond); hipped slate roof and octagonal cupola with lead covered dome and iron weathervane. It has oval lights at first floor level and a moulded eaves cornice.

Interior: early C18 Imperial staircase of oak with open string and carved tread ends, fluted balusters and wreathed hand rail. The stairwell has wall panelling and plaster ceiling by Caröe. The three ground floor rooms of the south side of the house have plaster cornices.

Listing NGR: SJ7535048398

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Betley Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q4898149

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)