Description

ILSINGTON SOUTH KNIGHTON
SK 87 SW
8/130 South Knighton House
-

GV II

Large house. Probably late C16 or C17, remodelled and enlarged in mid C18; further
altered, with minor additions, in early C19. Roughcast stone and cob. Tarred,
slated roofs with deep eaves supported by paired brackets; cross-wing hipped on
south. In rear (north) wall of main range 2 large projecting chimneystacks; tnat on
the east has a thatch weathering and a cap formed by a projecting slate-course.
Later stack in west wall of cross-wing. T-shaped plan with through-passage, the
latter placed at the west end of the main range. To east of it are 2 large heated
rooms with an unheated store room at the far end. A second through-passage has been
inserted at the west end of the middle room in C19 and a room with large fireplace
added at the rear. In the front is a small stair turret, probably added in C18 or
C19. The cross wing has 2 rooms with a C18 staircase between them. A porch with
room over has been added at the rear of the through-passage at this end of the house
in C19. 2 storeys, except for single-storied addition behind east end of main
range. The south (garden) front is 4 widely spaced windows wide, the left-hand
window occupying the cross-wing. The windows in the cross wing and in the left bay
of the main range have sashes without horns, all of 8 panes except for the ground
storey sashes of the cross-wing which have 6 panes. Doorway to left of main range
and its counterpart at the rear of the through-passage, have early C19 panelled
doors. In front of the south door and its adjacent window is a lean-to
conservatory. To right of this is the stair turret with lean-to roof. To right of
the turret the front has retained its C18 character with 3-light casements having
slender moulded wood mullions in ground and upper storeys; ground storey window has
3 panes per light while the window above has leaded panes. The far right hand
window in second storey is a C20 3-light wood casement; there is no corresponding
window in ground storey. In the north front the windows of the main range retain
C18 wood mullions and leaded panes, and there is a C19 plank door at the rear of the
inserted through-passage. The added lean-to at east end has in its east wall a re-
used wood door frame of late C16 to mid C17, square headed with an ovolo moulding.
The entrance porch to the west and the cross wing, including the side wall to the
road, have 6-paned sashes without horns. The door to the porch has 2 panels below
and is glazed with margin of quarter panes above. Porch and cross wing, both
gabled, are architecturally treated with giant stucco pilasters between and at
either side of them.
Interior is surprisingly simple, notable mainly for its modest C18 and C19 detail,
and for its old irregular plaster surfaces. Nothing of an earlier date is visible,
although good quality concealed features are likely to exist. Main staircase in
cross wing is a wooden open well with slender turned balusters and square newels
with beaded angles and flat moulded caps. In south second storey room of wing is a
wooden chimneypiece with moulded architrave, plain frieze and moulded cornice, tile
sides flanked by large scrolls. The middle ground storey room of the main range has
a moulded plaster cornice which extends into the inserted passage, it has a large
fireplace with segmental brick arch; in the back is the stone framed opening to a
former oven. The roof timbers are all re-used, possibly the late C16 or C17
originals cut up to form a lower pitch.

Listing NGR: SX8105072577

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26533841

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)