Description

SP05NE ARROW

2/8 Ragley Hall
01/02/67
I

Large country house. 1680-83, by 'Mr. Holbert' (William Hurlbert), with
considerable modifications by Robert Hooke, for the Earl of Conway. Interior:
c.1750-56 by James Gibbs. Alterations and some interiors by James Wyatt 1778-
1783. Alterations by William Tasker 1871-73. Lias with white oolite
dressings. Hipped roofs and flats of slate, lead and concrete tiles, with
stone chimneys. Quoins, string courses, modillion cornice and balustrade at
roof level. Double-pile plan with corner pavilions. 2 storeys and raised
basement, 3:3:3:3:3 bays. 3-bay giant portico by Wyatt of 4 unfluted Ionic
columns and pediment, and 2-armed staircase with curved ends of rusticated
stone with wrought iron balustrade and lanterns. Entrance: 3 round-arched
French doors in moulded stone surrounds. Late C18 sash windows: 18-pane
to piano nobile, 15-pane to second floor. Basement windows in Gibbs
surrounds, 1st and 2nd floor windows have shouldered architraves, 1st floor
with bolection moulding also. Garden front similar but without portico
or stairs. 3-bay centre projects slightly and has attic by Wyatt of 3 round
windows. All other windows straight-headed. 1st floor has balustraded balcony
by Tasker between the pavilions, resting on Tuscan columns. 2 big panelled
stacks. North and south fronts: 3-bay pavilions and deeply recessed centre of 2
pairs of high arched windows on the 1st floor. Interior: Great Hall of 2
storeys, on grand scale. Baroque treatment of coupled pilasters and high coved
ceiling with penetrations, and busts and vases on brackets, but with lavish
Rococo plasterwork attributed to Vassali (Buildings of England). Several rooms
have mid C18 carved and moulded doorcases. Study to left of Hall has Rococo
plaster ceiling and frieze and late C18 chimney piece. Library on south front
simple crested bookcases and carved overdoors of swags in the manner of
Grinling Gibbons. Blue room to right of Hall has Rococo plasterwork, chimney
piece and overmantel relief of bacchic children. Small Dining Room has Rococo
ceiling with relief of Leda and the Swan, and lively carved Rococo overmantel
attributed to Thomas H. Kendall (Guide book). Great Dining Room on north front
by Wyatt, partially redecorated by Tasker, with restrained decoration of panels
etc. North and south staircases in balancing positions: Grand early C18 style
dog-leg stairs with quarter landings and Greek key motif stringing; by Tasker.
North staircase of oak; underside has inlaid panels and rosettes. South stair-
case painted, and has late C20 mural by Graham Rust, completed 1982. Red
Saloon in centre of garden front, Mauve Drawing Room and Ante Room by Wyatt
have delicate neoclassical decoration and fine panelled doors. Green Drawing
Room again with Rococo ceiling and late C18 chimney piece. Vaulted basement.
After Lord Conway's death in 1683 the house remained unfinished until the
1750s. The Great Hall is considered to be one of the finest mid C18
interiors. The grounds were landscapted by Capability Brown in the 1750s.
(V.C.H. : Warwickshire, p. 27; Buildings of England : Warwickshire, pp.380-382;
The Marquess of Hertford : Ragley Hall (guide book); G.C. Tyack : Country House
Building in Warwickshire 1500-1914 (PHY thesis); Arthur Oswald : Ragley Hall,
Warwickshire, Country Life 1st May 195 pp.938-941 and 8th May 1958 pp.l006-
1009; P. Leach :'Ragley Hall' Royal Archaeological Institute Summer Meeting at
Warwick 1971, in Archaeological Journal CXXVIII pp.230-233).

Listing NGR: SP0719755538

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Ragley Hall at Wikipedia
• Ragley Hall official website
• Wikidata Q7283125

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)