Description

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 31/01/2017

NY 30 SE,
3/11

CLAIFE,
WRAY,
Wray Castle

(Formerly listed as: R.M.S. Wray Castle)

25.03.70

GV

II*

House, former college of marine electronics. 1840-47. Possibly by. H. P. Horner or
J. Lightfoot. Dressed slate with ashlar dressings. Rectangular plan with porte
cochere to entrance facade and service wing to south; tall central tower and
angle towers. Battered base with frieze and sill course and corbelled and coped
parapets. Entrance facade has octagonal tower to left, square tower with
octagonal bartizan to right; porte cochere has octagonal turrets, all with
embattled parapets. Towers and turrets have arrow slits, most have iron
dressings. Windows have double-chamfered openings and label moulds; porte
cochere has 3-light double-chamfered-mullioned window. Ground floor window to
left has 2-light traceried casement. Porte cochere has triple-chamfered
segmented-pointed arches to front and returns. Recessed panels with armorial
bearings to returns of porte cochere; corbelled-out panels with arrow slits to
1st floor flanking porte cochere and to left of tower. Embattled parapet above
and to rear of porte cochere. Entrance has 1/2 glazed doors and pointed arched
fanlight. Central tower has embattled parapet with canted turret to right
return. Left return of 5 bays, the 4th and 5th bays wider and breaking forward
with octagonal bartizan; octagonal angle towers. Some windows have original
traceried casements; 4th bay has canted bay window with 2-light traceried
casements and panels beneath; 5th bay has bay with tripartite mullioned window,
traceried casements and return lights. 1st floor windows to 4th and 5th bays of
3 lights, one now with later casement; parapet above has projecting embattled
section. Right return has canted bay window with 3-light traceried casement
window above and projecting bay to right with embattled parapet. Service wing
projects to right; embattled parapet corbelled to angle with 2-face clock. End
square tower with low wings which have embattled turrets. Rear has projecting
service wing to left with square angle towers; right irregular facade of
3 storeys to left; pointed entrance with label mould and canted oriel with
2-light traceried window above.

INTERIOR has octagonal entrance hall with 1st
floor gallery. Main hall has encaustic tiles, panelling and segmental pointed
heads to doors; 1st floor gallery and imperial stair leading to landing with
high hammer-beam roof, canted corbelled angles, niches, plaster panelled frieze,
and 2-light transomed windows. Many rooms with elaborate ceilings, former
drawing room has linenfold panelling. Beatrix Potter stayed here, 1882.
Property of the National Trust.

Listing NGR: NY3749701014

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wray Castle at Wikipedia
• Wray Castle official website
• Wikidata Q8037645

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living