Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21/10/2016

SJ 88 NW,
698-1/11/551

MANCHESTER,
WYTHENSHAWE PARK, Brooklands,
Wythenshawe Hall

25/02/52

GV

II*

Manor house (seat of the Tatton family of Wythenshawe); now museum
and art gallery. Earlier C16, altered in C17, partly re-built
c.1797, enlarged in earlier C19 and further altered in later
C19. Timber frame and brick, with green slate roofs. U-plan
formed by hall-range flanked by projecting wings, with porch
in right-hand angle and oriel in left-hand angle; plus later
additions to ends and rear. The C16 portion is all 2-storeyed,
the 3-bay hall range and its gabled porch and oriel higher
than the wings; all of post-and-stud construction with
herringbone bracing, the upper floors and gables jettied to
the front, and all the gables with projected wall plates which
have pendants (those of the porch and oriel elaborately
carved), bressummers and bargeboards with rich running-vine
carving, and apex finials. The porch has a Tudor-arched
doorway with carved lintel, a band of quatrefoils over the
jetty, and a 6-light mullion-and-transom window at 1st floor;
the hall has a large 12-light transomed window on each floor;
and the oriel has transomed windows of 6 lights at ground
floor and 8 lights above. Both wings have canted
mullion-and-transom bay windows at ground floor (probably
C19), transomed 6-light windows above, the re-entrant of the
north wing has a 4-light mullioned window at 1st floor and the
return side of the south wing has an external chimney stack.
All these windows have leaded glazing, some in original
diamond pane form and some with larger honeycomb-pattern panes
(probably C19). Early C19 addition attached to the right-hand
side of the north wing, 3 bays, with gabled centre which has a
very large mullion-and-transom window at ground floor, and
cross-windows elsewhere. Further addition to north of this.
Rear: brick, with sashed windows. INTERIOR: hall with
remodelled Jacobean-style decoration (dated 1871-72 on beam of
oriel window); early C19 library; fine open-well staircase
with alternately twisted balusters. The principal feature of
interest is the drawing-room over the hall, which has a C17
internal porch; remains of C16 painted "panelling" now exposed
on the north end wall, with an elaborate painted frieze
including shields and Bacchanalian figures, fronds, roses,
etc; and very elaborate early C17 panelling to the other
walls, including a dado with fluted Ionic pilasters, a moulded
cornice to this, a band of carved round-headed arches with
fluted pilasters, recessed panels over these with fluted Ionic
pilasters, and a strap-work frieze; and coffered panelled
overmantel; all this panelling with geometric fret inlay.

Listing NGR: SJ8160489825

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wythenshawe Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q8040656

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 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)