Description

CHIPPENHAM

ST97SW HARDENHUISH LANE
930-1/1/41 Hardenhuish House (Chippenham
22/06/78 Grammar School)

II*

Manor house, now a school. Late C18, with c1829 alterations
including a portico by Sir John Soane. Limestone ashlar with
slate roofs hipped to the front, gabled to the rear of rear
wings; moulded ashlar stacks to the rear and ridges of wings.
STYLE: Palladian, portico in Classical style. PLAN:
double-depth central stair-hall plan with rear wings and later
wings to the left.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys; symmetrical 5-bay front with pedimented
3-bay centre stepped forward; a table, perhaps for an urn,
surmounts a pediment over a modillion cornice, platband and
sill band to the 1st floor. Moulded architraves to the upper
floor windows; 3/6-pane sashes to the 2nd floor, 3 pedimented
6/6-pane sashes to the 1st floor centre, flanked by 6/6-pane
sashes with floating cornices. Steps up to a semicircular
prostyle portico of 4 Ionic columns supporting an entablature
with a dentilled cornice, flanked by 6/6-pane sash windows
with chamfered architraves. Both returns have full-height
splayed bays with windows similar to the front.
A mid C19 service block to the left has a hipped roof to a
splayed front with 6/6-pane sash windows flanked by 4/4-pane
sashes; the left return is roughcast with freestone dressings
to the windows and a moulded eaves cornice. The service block
is connected to the main house by a mid/late C19 dining room
which has 3 large 6/6-pane sash windows.
The splayed rear right return was formerly covered by a
conservatory (probably 1829), it has full-height 9/9-pane sash
windows; to the rear right corner are 2 octagonal rooms with
hipped lead roofs, that to the rear with a ball finial. A
block to the rear has a hipped roof with a lantern.
INTERIOR: the entrance hall has a C18 modillion cornice and
oak floor boards. A C19 semicircular arch leads to the rear
stair hall housing a C19 open-string dogleg staircase with
turned balusters rising to the top floor. The curtail step is
double-wreathed. C19 double entrance doors with margin panes,
4-panel doors to the upper floors, 6-panel to the ground
floor. The ground-floor room to the left retains a modillion
cornice but has a high C19 skirting board.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Cherry B: Wiltshire:
London: 264).

Listing NGR: ST9122274542

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q99670955

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

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings