Description

SO 4598
10/106

WOOLSTASTON
Woolstaston Hall and garden wall adjoining to east

29.01.52

GV
II*
Country house, truncated. Circa 1675, partly demolished c.1784, with mid to late C19 additions. Red brick (partly painted) with grey and brown sandstone ashlar dressings; hipped plain tile roof. Remaining southern wing of former H-plan house. Two storeys and attic over basement.

South front: plinth with chamfered stone top, chamfered quoins (to right), and plat band; central gabled dormer with two-light wooden casement, external brick end stack to left with 2 x 3 panels to top and pitched-roofed link to attic, and integral brick lateral stack at rear. Seven bays (three centre bays closely spaced); four-pane sashes with gauged brick heads and rebuilt cills (first floor right-hand sash is painted imitation). Three steps up to central pair of doors, each with four raised and fielded panels; decaying sandstone doorcase consisting of panelled pilasters with husk drops hanging from grotesque heads, entablature with carved husk garlands, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice (breaking forward over pilasters), and steep triangular pediment with flanking urns. Right-hand return front (former front elevation) of two bays with plinth, quoins, moulded stone string course, and central gabled dormer with two-light wooden casement.

Rear: one bay former return of wing to left with blind windows. Two C19 gabled wings to-right, one with brick ridge stack. Part of former C17 forecourt wall adjoining to east; red brick on sandstone rubble plinth with grey sandstone dressings; quoins at east end and moulded coping, ramped down slope; pair of C19 cast-iron gates at west end and C20 boarded door in centre.

Interior of house: fairly complete late C17 and C18 fittings throughout including doors with six raised and fielded panels and H-hinges and window shutters with four raised and fielded panels.

Hall: early to mid C17 wainscot panelling (a number carved) with fluted frieze (said to have come from Church Stretton church). Entrance wall with tall raised and fielded bolection-moulded panels and moulded cornice; mid to late C19 staircase and fireplace. Ground floor left-hand room (former kitchen: bolection-moulded wainscot panelling; window wall with tall bolection moulded panels and moulded cornice; segmental-arched stone fireplace. Drawing room (ground-floor right): bolection-moulded wainscot panelling with dado rail; window walls with bolection-moulded raised and fielded panels and dado rail; fireplace with bolection moulded surround, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice, overmantel with bolection-moulded raised and fielded panelling with flanking panelled pilasters, and coved and moulded cornice, breaking forward over pilasters.

Landing: moulded wainscot-panelling; doorways with moulded architraves and bolection-moulded panel above; moulded cornice; small bedroom taken out of landing has late C17 panelled door with strap hinges and remains of floral painting. Left-hand bedroom: fireplace with bolection moulded surround, reveals with Delft-like tiles, and bolection moulded raised and fielded panel above; coved and moulded cornice.

Right-hand bedroom: blocked fireplace with bolection-moulded raised and fielded panel above; moulded cornice; dressing room with moulded cornice.

Before its partial demolition the house contained 37 rooms. It had a balustraded parapet and a stone gateway in front with lions. The house ceased to be the residence of the lord of the manor on the death of Catherine Pope in 1754. After demolition c.1784 much of the panelling was taken to Apley Park (near Bridgnorth) but some was reused at The Farm, Leebotwood (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SO4513098375

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17541675

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 green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)