Description

NORTH NIBLEY THE STREET
ST 7395
(south side)
9/134 Nibley House
23.6.52
II*

Large country house. Mid C17; late C17 alterations; major
alterations of 1763 for George Smyth; late C19 or early C20
additions. Ashlar limestone; roughcast to rear elevations;
ashlar chimneys; plain tile roof. Two-storey with attic and
cellar. Central staircase plan with wing to rear. Front: 2:3:2
fenestration, 15-pane sashes to ground floor and 12-pane to upper
floor all with moulded eared architraves and bracketed sills.
Pedimented break forward at centre with small distyle Ionic portico
porch to doorway with keyed round arch having imposts; pair of 3-
panel doors with fanlight over. Modillion parapet cornice and
modillion enriched pediment; plain band at upper floor level.
Pair of ridge-mounted moulding chimneys towards centre of hipped
roof. East side: 5-window fenestration as to front but with plain
openings. Central doorway with Gibbs surround has 6-panel door
with rectangular light over; doorway sheltered by C19 glazed lean-
to porch. Plain banding and parapet continued from front facade.
West side: fenestration 2:3:2 with recessed centre. Part of
elevation to left continues treatment as front facade but with
plain openings. Break in roof pitch to right of this portion
suggests point where more of the C17 structure was retained in the
rear areas of the house. Simplified facades to right continue to
gable end of rear wing. Rear: right is part of 1763 rebuilding.
Left of this a round-arched staircase sash with plain architraves,
imposts and keystone. Gable at centre of rear elevation with
gable-mounted chimney dates from C17 house; below this is late C19
two-storey lean-to block containing bathrooms. Staircase
projection in angle wth rear wing may be early C18 and has single
upper floor 12-pane sash with plain keyed architrave.
Interior is mostly of 1763 except for some rear areas. Finely
proportioned room with mid C18 marble fireplace. High square hall
with open well staircase on 3 sides having 3 turned balusters per
tread and wreathed handrails. Entrance hall is square with 2
doorways in each of the inner corners, all with eared architraves.
Room in north-west corner has fine Rococo plaster ceiling with
flowers and fruits depicted with great realism. In angle with rear
wing a late C17 or early C18 staircase with moulded handrail and
barleysugar balusters; plain square newel posts. On upper floor
one room has mid C18 panelling with eared architraves to each
panel. Some late C17 timber framed partitions in older part of
house. Roof structure incorporates part of C17 roof. Mid C17
house appears to be that illustrated by Kip. Some alterations may
have taken place between the building recorded by Kip and the major
rebuilding of 1763. The present house is as engraved by Bonner in
1779. Two barns, one now converted to house, stand to south
(q.v.), beyond the long coach house and stable range which is not
of specal interest.
(R. Atkyns, The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire, 1712;
S. Rudder, A New History of Gloucestershire, 1779; and D. Verey,
Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: ST7375495969

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Nibley House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17538162

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)