Description

SS 72 NE BISHOP'S NYMPTON

2/33 Whitechapel Manor

9.6.52
GV I

Former manor house, in process of conversion to an hotel at time of survey (1987).
The core appears to be late C16/early C17 although earlier fabric may survive (there
has been a house on the site since the C12). The house was refurbished circa 1700
the use of brick in the east wing could also be of this date. The roof structure
indicates substantial late C19 repair. Rendered externally, probably stone, the
first floor of the east wing brick; slate roof, hipped at ends; rear lateral stack,
right end stack and 3 axial stacks to the main range, lateral stacks to each wing,
one on each outer return wall.
Plan: E plan, a south-facing main range with a central 2-storey porch and west and
east crosswings, the centre of the range with a 2-storey rear outshut containing
service rooms on the ground floor with 2 stair cells. The porch leads into a cross
passage with the principal stair to the rear, a screen to the right of the entrance
divides the large hall, heated by the rear lateral stack, from the passage.
Principal parlour in the east wing with a small parlour to the left of the cross
passage with an axial passage behind it, parallel to the rear wall of the main range.
This axial passage connects the main entrance to a large room within the main range
which may have been the C17 kitchen. The west crosswing is heated by a probably C19
stack and appears to have been an unheated service wing before this date. A C17
dogleg stair survives to the rear of the west wing. The first floor consists of a
series of notable chambers fitted out in circa 1700. The very fine circa 1700
refurbishment appears to have been carried out within the basic plan form of the late
C16/early C17 house variations in the panelling suggesting a major programme of work
between circa 1690-1730. The outshut, judging from the survival of some leaded light
windows, is probably a late C17 remodelling and extension of 2 earlier stair
projections.
Exterior: Well-preserved and very attractive with C19 small-pane 4-light timber
casements throughout, some within C16 or C17 moulded frames. 2 storeys. Symmetrical
south front, the crosswings hipped to the front, the 2-storey porch in the centre
with a hipped roof, 2 bays to the left and 2 to the right of the porch, one bay to
the end of each crosswing. Plain segmental arched outer doorway to the porch below a
4-light casement with a C17 frame and ovolo-moulded mullions, the first floor window
to the left of the porch has a similar C17 frame and mullions. The east crosswing
seems to have been partially rebuilt, the first floor constructed out of bricks and
the upper part of the projecting stack on the east wall also brick. There is a
change in plane and a buttress to the wall to the north of the stack but it seems
likely that the wing was always 2 storeys as a 4-light first floor late C16/early C17
king mullioned window survives with a moulded frame and mullions and lights with
square leaded panes. The west wall of the west wing has a probably C19 lateral
stack, 2 C20 doors and scattered fenestration of 1 and 2-light windows, mostly with
C20 glazing. The rear elevation (the outshut) has 4 first floor ovolo-moulded C17 3-
light windows with square leaded panes and 4 ground floor probably C18 casements with
square leaded panes. A C19 stair window with brick blocking below the sill lights
the main stair, the north-west stair window is circa late C17 with a high transom and
ovolo-moulded jamb with bar scroll stops to the inner face. Evidence of rebuilding
and repair on the rear elevation includes the masonry of the north-east corner of the
outshut and courses of brick below the eaves.
Interior: Outstanding for the quality and quantity of circa early C18 panelling and
for numerous other features of interest. The hall is a splendid room, the chimney-
piece with an eared, bolection moulded architrave rising in the centre, the mantel
shelf breaking forward over the centre. The plaster ceiling is probably of the same
date, but possibly an adaptation of an earlier ceiling, 8 panels of richly moulded
intersecting beams, the 2 right hand panels slightly narrower, with a moulded
cornice. Plaster ceiling roses applied to the centre of each panel are, presumably,
C18. The wall panelling is probably early C18, the panels recessed bead and probably
designed for picture-hanging. Moulded rectangles, probably contemporary with 4 early
C18 6-panel doors (one false) with some original hinges and swan-necked pediments as
overdoors. The doors are paired; 2 on the right end wall of the hall; 2 opposite one
another, on the north and south walls at the left end of the room. The south door is
false, the north door leads to the stair cell which contains a C20 stair presumably
replacing a grand dog-leg stair which was originally accessible from the rear of the
passage. A fine 5-bay screen, earlier in date than any of the other features in the
hall, divides the hall from the passge. Reeded pilasters divide the bays with a
strapwork frieze and moulded cornice above, the frieze punctuated with carved
consoles. The second and fourth bays are 6-panel doors with butterfly hinges in
doorframes with depressed segmental arches and carved spandrels on the passage side.
The other bays are divided into panels on the hall side by richly-carved muntins and
rails with round-head carved arcading in the upper panels. On the passage side the
panelling is recessed behind chamfered studs and rails with a row of timber hat pegs.
The 6-pane rear door of the passage, formerly leading to the main stair, has a
richly-moulded doorframe with bar scroll stops and a cornice.
The principal parlour in the east wing is also a very fine room, panelled throughout
(the panelling unpainted) with a decorated plaster ceiling and good chimney-piece,
the fittings probably early C18, the panels raised, the timber chimney-piece also
panelled, 2 matching 6-panel doors in the north wall with panelled overdoors, the
plaster ceiling (re-suspended in the last 3 years) with a big central quatrefoil, the
ribs of the outer motifs with a guilloche moulding. The small parlour, to the left
of the cross passage is also panelled throughout, the door from the axial passage 6-
panel on the passage side, 8-panel facing the room with HL hinges. The bolection-
moulded timber chimney-piece incorporates an integral painting an canvas, the
iconography derived from Numbers XIII, V. 23, illustrating the fruitfulness of the
promised land. An integral painting on canvas over the door appears to show the
goddess, Diana. The left hand (west) room in the main range, which may have been the
C17 kitchen, has a rough exposed crossbeam and a massive open fireplace with a timber
bolection-moulded chimneypiece concealing an iron lintel. The front room of the west
crosswing is very plain with a possibly C19 fireplace with a segmental arched lintel.
Although the main stair has been replaced, 2 early stairs survive: a dog-leg stair
with landing at the east end of the house with probably early C18 dado panelling with
a ramped cornice. A second dog-leg stair with a landing rises within the outshut to
the rear of the west wing. The balustrade is C19 or later but 4 massive circa late
C17 cylindrical oak newels survive, slightly tapering at the top, the stair lit by a
C17 window already described. The first floor retains a set of very fine circa 1700
panelled rooms including original chimney-pieces and doors, 3 of the rooms with
integral overmantel paintings. The principal room in the west wing has a painting
depicting a woman with children holding musical instruments with a C17 formal garden
in the background. The same room has a C17 cupboard recess and a panelled ante room.
The 2 principal rooms in the main range and east wing have Italianate overmantel
landscape paintings and other smaller chambers are also well-preserved.
Roof: Largely C19 construction with king post and strut roofs of a conventional C19
character, including some iron girders. There are some earlier re-used timbers
including evidence of former lap-dovetailed joints.
Information in the possession of the present owner includes a list of owners
beginning with the Peverell family in 1162, followed by the Basset family 1240-1603.
The manor was called Blaunchechapele in 1281, documentation relating to Whitechapel
has been deposited with the D.R.O., Accession no. 3777.
An outstanding house with a remarkably well-preserved interior.

Listing NGR: SS7509227282

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Whitechapel, Bishops Nympton at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7995767

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)