Description

BRIGHSTONE

SZ488SW B 3399, Mottistone
1354-0/8/79 Mottistone Manor and The Dower House
21/07/51

GV II*

Large manor house, subdivided into 2. L-shaped buildings of 3
builds, the south east wing with oldest part is early C16 or
C15 and the north west wing added or remodelled by Thomas
Cheke in 1567 and the furthest part of the south east wing
early C17, the whole remodelled by the firm of Seely and Paget
in the 1920s. South east wing built of stone rubble with
ashlar dressings. Roof partially tiled, part stone slates to
lower part. 2 square stone chimneystacks. 2 storeys 8 windows.
Stone mullioned windows, 2 or 3 light, with hood mouldings. 4
centred arched door with hood moulding. Gable end with
kneelers. North west wing added or remodelled by Thomas Cheke
in 1567 whose initials appear in the porch. This wing is of
higher elevation. Built of Isle of Wight ashlar with the roof
partially tiled, the lower courses of stone slates. 2 storeys
and attics, 3 windows. Attic has gable with kneelers and 2
light mullioned windows with hoodmouldings. 1st floor has 2
4-light mullioned and transomed windows. Stone band between
floors. In the angle of the L is a 2 storey porch with a
nearly square headed archway facing south west and an old door
to the inner archway. The 1st floor originally had a window
but this has been replaced by a square panel containing a
cartouche of the Cheke family with the initials T.C. (Thomas
Cheke) and the date 1567 flanked by terms. There are 2 small
square projections in the north east front and 1 containing a
staircase on the north west front. Interior entrance hall has
ceiling beam with 4 inch chamfer and triangular stop.
Bolection moulded marble fireplace removed from Appuldurcombe
by Seely in 1920s. Stone arched doorcase. Dining Room in south
east wing has 2 C17 2 inch chamfered axial beams with lambs
tongue stops and wide stone fireplace with iron bracket.
Cupboard with butterly and L-hinge. Upstairs in angle of the L
are the remains of an arch braced roof with collar truss and
side purlins. Stone fireplace with wooden lintel. There is
some exposed C16 square framing below. The remainder of this
wing has a butt purlin roof with queen posts. From the
entrance hall the 1567 north west wing is reached. This
comprized buttery, central hall with servery and parlour with
bedrooms above and the rooms retain their original functions.
Kitchen has 4 inch chamfers with triangular stops. Central
hall has large 4 centred arched stone fireplace and has a late
C16 carved wooden overmantel now on wall adjoining kitchen
with 4 female caryatids thought to have come from Merston
Manor. Parlour has large 4 centred arched stone fireplace with
high stops. Unusual 1567 staircase with solid square chamfered
stone centre and solid stone treads. 1st floor has paired 4
centred arched doorcases. There are 4 cupboards thought to
have been for storing chamber pots. Corner bedroom above
kitchen has a late C16 4 centred arched stone fireplace with
high stops and unusual deal panelling, perhaps late C17 to
early C18 in date with transom near ceiling, long panels below
and 3 fielded panels above fireplace decorated with central
rectangular and end diamond shaped carvings. Central bedroom
above hall has 4 centred stone fireplace with high stops.
Bedroom above Parlour has a similar fireplace and remains of a
black letter text from the Thomas Matthews bible of 1537 with
yellow and black cartouche. Only one text survives but the
other panels were imaginatively re-created by Seely. 1st floor
cupboard in centre of stair well with butterfly hinges. The
bathroom contains some C19 panelling from Fort Victoria. Part
of the roof of the 1567 wing has a roof with staggered purlins
and queen posts. The other part is of 4 bays and butt purlins.
This was one of the original Domesday Manors. In 1706 a
landslide buried the rear wall of the south east wing almost
up to eaves level and for 150 yeas it became a farmhouse owned
by the Leighs of North Court, Shorwell. In 1861 Chares Seely
of Brook House bought the estate and in the 1920s his grandson
John Seely, architect, restored the building.
(C W R Winter: The Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight: 102 -
107; V C H Hampshire: 251; Country Life, March 16, 1929).

Listing NGR: SZ4062983797

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Mottistone Manor at Wikipedia
• Mottistone Manor official website
• Wikidata Q6918667

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)