Description

SU 78 SE FAWLEY FAWLEY COURT

8/13 Fawley Court (Divine Mercy
College)
7.7.52

GV I

School, formerly mansion. 1684, reputedly by Sir C. Wren, for
William Freeman. Externally refurbished and extended to N.W. 1884
for Mackenzie family. Red brick with tuck pointing and ashlar
dressings. Moulded wooden eaves cornice with carved scroll modillions
and later rendered parapet above. Hipped slate roof, brick chimneys
with moulded stone cornices and strings. H-plan. 2 storeys,
basement and attic. N.W. front of 9 bays, other fronts of 7 bays.
Moulded stone plinth, stone first floor band course and quoins. C19
sash windows without glazing bars, in plain stone surrounds with
staff mouldings. Flat roofed dormers with sashes. N.W. front has
5 centre bays recessed with late C18-early C19 single storey entrance
loggia. This has Ionic stone colonnade, entablature and balustrade.
Central first floor window has shouldered architrave surround;
central door has stone doorcase with Roman Doric pilasters,
pulvinated frieze, cornice and central lion's-head keyblock. 1884
balustraded quadrant and pavilion in matching style to left. N. and
S. fronts each have slight central projection of 3 bays with pediment.
S. pediment has blind wreathed oeil-de-boeuf; N. pediment has similar
blind window with keyed architrave surround. Interior: saloon has
very fine plaster ceiling dated 1690 with central oval containing
vine-leaf trail and thyrsi,surroundddby naturalistic foliage scrolls
with birds and animals in high relief. Saloon also has late C18
doorcases with scroll friezes, one with pediment, and white marble
fireplace by J.F. Moore in Athenian style with relief of lionesses,
urns and paterae on frieze. Library has good plaster ceiling by
James Wyatt c.1770-71, painted illusionistic relief panels by
Anne Seymour Damer in frieze, and recess with 4 Ionic scagliola
columns of 1804. Inlaid doors also by Mrs. Damer. Another fine ceiling
by Wyatt in drawing room. Some other rooms retain late C18-early C19
ceilings and marble fireplaces, one with acanthus frieze, coved ceiling
and painted wooden fireplace with gilt urns and husk garlands. Main
staircase is c.1730 with 2 turned balusters per tread, open string and
wide flat handrail. Backstairs also C18 with turned balusters.
Vaulted cellars, part with wide flat ribs to central cylindrical
piers, part extending under S. terrace. Remainder of interior part
altered late C19, part damaged by fire 1976.
(G. Tyack, The Freemans of Fawley, Records of Bucks Vol. 24 p.130-143).

Listing NGR: SU7652084214

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Fawley Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5438768

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

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings