Description

GATCOMBE

SZ48SE GATCOMBE
1353-0/3/95 Gatcombe House
21/07/51

GV II*

Mansion. Built in 1751 for Sir Edward Worsley, the younger
branch of the family whose principal seat was Appuldurcombe.
Alterations c.1794 when the semi basement was filled in. North
and east elevations built of Isle of Wight tooled ashlar with
ashlar dressings, south side rendered and west elevation
brick. Hipped slate roof concealed by pediment and stone
chimneystacks. 3 storeys and basement: 7 windows. North
elevation has ramped up parapet. Central 3 bays project
slightly with pediment and end pilasters and quoins. 12 pane
sashes in moulded stone architraves with reeded keystones.
Central 2nd floor round-headed niche. Central portico with
quoins, moulded cornice and moulded surround with reeded
keystone. Early C19 double doors with rectangular fanlight.
Behind is door surround with eaved architraves and early C19
1/2 glazed double doors. Plinth, which before the floor was
filled in in 1794 was the semi basement. East elevation has 6
windows, French windows on ground floor with early C19 glazing
bars. South side also has 6 windows with early C19 French
windows to ground floor. South elevation is in black header
bond and has a recessed centre containing 1st floor Venetian
window. (An engraving of the house of 1808 shows a Venetian
window on the north front). Curved branched chimneystack to
rear kitchens allows light to penetrate to this window.
Attached to west is 2 storey extension in stone rubble with
mid C19 windows. Interior has Entrance Hall with ovolo moulded
cornice and 4 doors with 6 panels and broken pediments.
Drawing Room has foliated cornice, dado rail and doorcases
having reeded surround with paterae. Billiard Room has pine
panelling on 2 sides and the door to the Dining Room is a
double walnut door with palmete cornice. The Dining Room
(formerly the Breakfast Room) has a rococo plastered ceiling
with alternate corner floral baskets and pelicans or cranes.
Fine mid C18 well staircase with 3 turned balusters to each
tread and scrolled tread ends. Study has a marble fireplace
with eared architraves. The kitchen has large early C18 stone
fireplace with keystones and the walls are of header bond. The
basement has wine bins with slate shelves. Some of the
bedrooms have interesting features including a 1st floor
fireplace with eared architraves and central swag panel, a
bedroom with dado panelling and a marble fireplace with eared.
architraves, another bedroom with eared architraved and
moulded mantelpiece and a 2nd floor large panelled room on the
east side, now sub-divided. It is apparent from the use of
ashlar on the north and east fronts only (those seen from the
original carriage drive) that the younger branch of the
Worsley family found it difficult to keep up appearances on
their income.
One of the original Domesday Manors, together with
Appuldurcombe and Nunwell House one of the 3 substantial C18
mansions on the Isle of Wight.
(B O E Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: 745; C W R Winter: The
Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight: 54 - 60; V.C.H.: 246).

Listing NGR: SZ4928885005

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Gatcombe House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5526964

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)