Description

ZEALS LOWER ZEALS
ST 73 SE
(east side)
6/184 Zeals House
6.1.66
GV I
Country house. Late C14, C17, C18 and 1860s, the latter for
William Chafyn-Grove. Limestone rubble stone, Welsh slate roofs,
stone stacks with moulded cappings. Rambling L-plan, the earliest
range consisting of 2-storey hall and solar range to north east of
C17 and C19 additions. Two-storey and attic, 8-window east front.
Central recessed bay with 1860s porch with Tudor-arched double
doors and Chafyn-Grove arms over, 5-light mullioned window and
battlemented parapet, 3-light ovolo-mullioned and transomed window
to left, C14 range projecting to right has two C19 three-light
ovolo-mullioned and transomed windows with hoodmoulds to ground and
first floors, gabled solar wing and stair turret to right have 2-
light and 3-light mullioned and transomed windows, glazed door to
present kitchen. C17 range to left of porch has 3-light and 4-
light mullioned and transomed casements to ground and first floors,
two attic gables with 3-light ovolo-mullioned casements, coped
verges with ball finials, attached to left of this is 1869 addition
with external stack, first floor oriel and C17 style mullioned and
transomed casements. 1869 left return has pair of gabled bays
with mullioned casements and 5-light mullioned and transomed
casement between with Chafyn-Grove arms over. Right return is
north gable-end of C14 and C17 parallel ranges; diagonal buttress
to left, C19 porches and mullioned and transomed casements, C17
ovolo-mullioned casements to attics. Rear left has chamfered and
ovolo-mullioned casements, parapet to roof, single-storey attached
tack-room, C17 range projecting to right has mullioned casements to
basement, ground and first floors, some C19 restored, 2-storey bay
remodelled as tower with battlemented parapet in 1860s, 1869 south
wing has cross windows.
Interior: entrance hall in C17 range with C19 full panelling and
stairs to rear with turned balusters, first floor drawing room on
west side has shallow barrel-vaulted ceiling and C18 full fielded
panelling and overmantel, former servants hall below, reset C17
full wainscotting in bedroom over entrance hall. North west
range, possibly late Medieval and remodelled in C17 and C18 has
Tudor-arched ground floor doorway with ledged door, first floor
room with early C18 moulded plaster ceiling cornice. C14 range to
north east; dining room with white marble fireplace with Ionic
columns, C18 joinery, billiard room over with full fielded
panelling and marble corner fireplace, very good 8-bay roof in
attics to former first floor open hall: arch-braced cranked collar
trusses with cyma-moulded soffits and two tiers of windbracing with
cusped decoration. North east solar wing has first floor room
with full panelling, marble fireplace with overmantel, good doors,
attic has formerly plastered barrel-vaulted ceiling, 3-bay roof
with hollow-chamfered collar trusses. Early C18 stairs in north
east turret with 3 turned balusters per tread, wreathed handrail,
panelled dado and good plaster ceiling with moulded cornice and
Chafyn-Grove arms in centre panel. 1869 drawing room with C17
style fittings including panelling with frieze, stairs to attic C17
style with serpentine splat balusters. 1869 service accommodation
in separate wing to west; chamfered mullioned casements and round-
arched opposing doorways with keystones, below a gabled clocktower
with keyed clockface. Matthew de Clevedon acquired a house here
in 1372 and apparently rebuilt it; the roof of a former first
floor open hall probably dates from this time. The Chafyn family,
subseqently the Chafyn-Groves acquired the property during C15 and
their descendants remained here till mid C20.
(Mere, A Wiltshire Country Town, 1975)

Listing NGR: ST7963431908

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529977

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)