Description

BRADING
SZ58NE WEST LANE
1352-0/1/106 Nunwell House
21/07/51
GV II*

Great house. original part built from 1607 onwards by Sir John
Oglander, an E-shaped house which comprizes the centre portion
of the present building and the south half of the west wing.
In 1716 William Oglander rebuilt the east wing except for the
south part and the central block was remodelled and refaced at
this time. Sir William Oglander, Sir John's great grandson,
(1767-1806) added the north end of the west wing, the south
end of the east wing and the bay in the centre of the east
front and refaced most of the house in brick with grey
headers. Late C19 loggia to south of east wing and dining room
extension of 1896 and billiard room extension of 1906 to north
of east wing. Former brewhouse (now tea and gift shop) C18 and
service courtyard early C19. Central block refronted in c1716.
Hung with red mathematical tiles in Flemish bond. Isle of
Wight stone plinth, window dressings and doorcase. Slate roof.
2 storeys attics and basement. 5 window. wooden dentilled
eaves cornice. 3 flat roofed dormers with casement window.
Windows have stone surrounds with keystones, 1st floor windows
have wide glazing bars, ground floor has wooden cross windows.
Central stone doorcase with rusticated round-headed surround
with keystone cornice and capitals. Curved double door with
6-fielded panels in all. South part of west wing is early C17.
2 storeys 2 windows in east elevation. West elevation of Isle
of Wight stone rubble with red brick dressings and slate roof.
Deep plinth. Cross-shaped windows to 1st floor and plain
mullioned windows to ground floor. South elevation refaced in
early C19 red brick in Flemish bond. 1st floor has 3-light
modern mullioned and transomed window and 2nd floor mullioned
and transomed windows. East elevation has C17 brickwork in
English bond and stone quoins. C18 rainwater head. Stone
plaque with shield of the Aulmer family and their motto
"Hallelujah". Ground floor has early C17 4-light stone ovolo
moulded mullioned window with brick relieving arch. North part
of west wing is late C17 or early C18. Built of stone rubble
with red brick dressings. Slate roof with end brick
chimneystacks. Stone coping with kneelers. 3 storeys and
attics 3 windows. 2 modern cambered dormers. Cross mullioned
windows to upper floors. Plain mullioned windows to ground
floor, the right side are with cambered head lining. Mullioned
windows to north elevation. East wing appears mainly C18 but
with late C19 addition. Principal or east front black brick in
header bond with red brick dressings and stone bands between
floors. Slate roof and 3 brick chimneystacks. 3 storeys, 7
bays.
Parapet with 4 ball finials, stone moulded cornice and bands
between floors. The central feature is a 3-light canted bay
through all floors. 2nd floor has 12-paned sashes with wide
glazing bars, 1st floor has 12 pane sashes with narrower
glazing bars and ground floor has 18 pane sashes with narrow
glazing bars. 1st floor French windows with iron balconette
and ground floor French window. Attached to south is a late
C19 loggia of brick, its east elevation having central
pediment and round-headed doorcase with impost blocks and 2
sashes, the southern elevation having 2 stone Tuscan columns
and 2 half columns. Stone coping to parapet and 4 ball
finials. Attached to the south end of the east wing is a
sundial. West elevation has a late C19 2 storey oriel window
with canted stone bay and section of balustrading. To north of
east wing is Dining Room extension of 1896. 1 storey red brick
with parapet with stone coping having 2 ball finials. One
Venetian window. To north of this is Billiard Room of 1906. 1
storey red brick. Principal or north front has central
projecting pedimental gable rising through panelled parapet
with obelisk finials at ends. Central round-headed doorcase
with keystone. Above is a stone shield with the motto of the
Oglander family. 2 cambered 12-pane sashes. East front has
pilasters and ball finials to parapet. One cambered 12-pane
sash. To north is former Brewhouse (now tea and gift shop)
Ground floor C18 stone rubble with plinth, 1st floor early C19
brickwork in Flemish bond. Slate roof 2 casement windows. C18
flush panelled door. To the west a curved brick wall leads to
early C19 outbuildings including coal house in English bond
brickwork.
Interior of Central Block has Hall with early C18 fielded
panelling with dado rails and stone fireplace with eaved
architrave and plastered ceiling with octagonal shaped motifs.
1st floor has Equerries room with early C17 oak panelling and
marble fireplace. Several C18 6-fielded panelled doors to 1st
floor, fireplace with early C19 basket grate and 2-panelled
door. Through purlin roof construction. South part of west
wing has early C17 dogleg staircase with handrail and midrail
and square newel post with knop. C17 panelling. The King's
Room is where Charles I is reputed to have stayed but the
furnishings are of a more recent date. North part of west wing
has late C17 well staircase with corner posts, turned
balusters to lower floors and splat balusters to attic storey,
through purlin roof and bedroom with late C17 or early C18
unusual deeply carved cornice with palmette and upside down
swags supported on 6 heraldic shields. Fireplace with eaved
architrave and early C19 basket grate. East wing has c1716
well staircase with ramped handrail, columned newel posts and
3 turned balusters to each step with scrolled tread ends with
triglyphs, dado panelling. Dining Room has late C18 fireplace
with central panel of reclining female with cupids and frieze
of swags with urns in the corner. Eaved architrave. 6-panelled
mahogany doors. Library has late C18 marble fireplace with
central oval panel flanked by cherubs, frieze of swags and urn
paterae. Tapering pilasters. Elaborate late C18 plastered
ceiling with floral baskets, floral swags and lyres in the
corners, superimposed with the snake and staff of
Aesculaepius. Cornice has triglyphs, paterae and ovolo
moulding. Door surrounds have quivers, swags and paterae. 2
fine quality 6-panelled doors. Morning Room has early C18
panelling, 6-fielded panelled door and a-marble fireplace with
eared architrave, shell and swag frieze and fine late C18 or
early C19 basket grate. The Dining Room of 1896 has a resited
late C18 marble fireplace having panel with reclining female
figure with 2 doves. Kitchen has wide chamfered beam with run
out stops. The cellars have spine beam with lambs tongue
stops. The Music Room/Billiard Room has a marble fireplace and
square louvred light. Former brewhouse has late C18 cambered
arched fireplace and cambered bread oven with iron door. This
house is one of the Domesday Manors, one of the most notable
houses on the Isle of Wight and home of the Oglander family
from c1100 to c1980 of whom the most famous was Sir John
Oglander the diarist.
(Winter CWR:The Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight:119-126;
Buildings of England:Lloyd D:Hampshire and the Isle of
Wight :7556) .

Listing NGR: SZ5955687409

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Nunwell House at Wikipedia
• Nunwell House official website
• Wikidata Q7069928

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability