Description

TQ 95 NE
5/7

DODDINGTON
Sharsted Court

24.1.67

GV
I
House. C14 to C17, remodelled 1711 (dated on rainwater heads) and extended 1880s and c.1911. Red brick and plain tiled roofs, with timber framed wings to rear clad with red brick and flint and flint rubble plastered gable also to rear. The work of 1711 encased and maintained the plan of a C14 hall house with two cross-wings, the rear gable of the service wing survives, extended to enclose staircase. Chalk and flint walls survive to interior of hall. To the rear of this were added two timber framed ranges late C14, extended and remodelled C16 - early C20 to form a double courtyard, now opened by demolition of enclosing (south-east) C20 range.

Entrance front (north-west): two storeys and attic on plinth with plat band, raised in centre, projecting wings to left and right with wide modillion eaves cornices to hipped roofs, and dormer in each wing with heavy segmental pediment. The left wing with contemporary one bay extension and separately hipped, with stack at end left, and two projecting stacks at end right. Recessed centre rising to battlements with central wooden belfry with ogee cupola. Regular fenestration of seven glazing bar sashes on first floor, three to left, two to right and two centre with central blocked window space, and three glazing bar sashes to left on ground floor, two cross-windows to right, and two double height glazing bar sashes to centre. All windows with exposed frames, gauged heads and aprons. Central double three-quarter glazed doors in projecting and battlemented porch, with Corinthian pilasters, pulvinated and enriched frieze, and segmental pediment containing crest of winged demi-bull rampant. To right, early C20 ballroom, one storey, two glazing bar sashes, double span hipped roof.

Left return front: C18 wing extends for four window bays (glazing bar sashes) and ends in banqueting room added c.1911 with two hipped dormers.

Rear: three projecting ranges, to left C16 remodelled in C19, timber clad brick and flint; to centre C17 timber framed range with red brick infill, two storeys, plinth, with plat band and three wood casements on each floor; to right, the rear of the C20 banqueting hall. To left on rear wall of main range is flint and rubble plastered gable, two storeys and garret, with kneelered parapet and irregular fenestration of C19 mullioned windows.

Interior: a complex house. Crown post roofs survive in the two C14 rear wings, the crown posts braced to arched tie beams.

The house was divided in 1374 to allow for a widow's dower house, including a range at "the west end of the south side of the Great Chamber" and "a new Chamber at the East side with cellars built under the same" (See E. Selby Teynham Manor and Hundred - reprinted 1982). This corresponds exactly to the two timber framed ranges (the easterly with cellar) either side of the surviving gable of the "Great Chamber". The western range is extended by a range continuously jettied towards the courtyard, but visible only inside the building. Two storey hall at present undecorated, leading from it the Grand Staircase of 1711, spiral balusters around an open well, with renewed moulded handrail and acorn newel heads, and original bolection moulded panelling. Back stairs with turned balusters, dog leg with half landing plan, headed by doorway with keyed arch on imposts.

Newel staircase reversing direction of twist at half flight leads to attic. Heavy screen of c.1600 to cellar stairs with turned baluster ornament. C17 panelling survives in some upstairs rooms and re-used in C20 ballroom. Panelling of c.1711, designed in some cases for specific paintings and tapestries (now sold) survives in most state rooms and main bedrooms, as do C18 and early C19 fireplaces. The hall and library retain 1711 beamed and plastered ceilings; the drawing room and banquet room with C20 plastered ceiling, the ballroom with wooden ceiling of geometric panels. The work of 1711 was carried out for Colonel William Delaune, M.P.

Listing NGR: TQ9511958174

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Sharsted Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7490484

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)