Description

SK 99 SE BISHOP NORTON

3/1 Norton Place
25.10.51
G.V. I

Country house. 1776 by John Carr for M.P. John Harrison; with
minor alterations of c.1830 by Lewis Vulliamy for Sir Montagu
Cholmeley. Ashlar and slate roof hidden behind parapet. The
main front is 2 storeys with attics, in 7 bays arranged 2:3:2,
the central bays being slightly advanced under a pediment, with
plinth, ground floor sill band, dentillated cornice and parapet
with balustraded panels. The central half glazed panelled double
doors are approached up 4 steps and flanked by single tall
glazing bar fixed lights, the whole composition divided by
columns in antis with in front a pedimented porch supported by 2
free standing Doric columns. In the pediment are the weathered
coat of arms of the builder. To either side are 3 glazing bar
sashes with deep architraves and pediments. The first floor has
a central Venetian window with semi circular head, the lights
divided by Ionic columns with flanking columns in antis, the
whole supported on scrolled brackets. To either side are 3
glazing bar sashes with moulded architraves and cornices. In the
pediment is a garlanded occulus. The left hand side front is of
3 bays, the central one being canted through 3 storeys and having
before it a single storey pedimented porch with urns and within
fine double doors with eared wooden surrounds having egg and dart
moulding. The porch is a later addition, added by Lewis
Vulliamy. The rear service wing is also in ashlar and has a 2
storey hipped range of 3 bays and a 2 storey single bay with
tripartite window and a Diocletian window above. The interior is
remarkably fine with original plaster ceilings and chimney pieces
surviving in each room. The octagonal side entrance hall
contains a fireplace with fluted pilasters, dentillated cornice
and original iron firebasket, fittings and marble slips. A
lobby leads to the oval stair hall which has 3 doors between
which are 2 hemispherically headed niches with fluted plaster
heads. The floor is in square limestone panels with black
circular marble inlays at the angles. The cantilevered stone
geometric stair has an open string with paired serpentine wrought
iron balusters interspersed with floriate arabesques and wreathed
handrail. The underside of the landing has a dentillated and
anthemia frieze. To the first floor are 8 recesses of which 5
are doorways and 3 blank, all have glazed traceried fanlights and
are linked by a continuous impost frieze. Above is a cornice
with urns, flutes and anthemia above which the roof rises to a
ribbed vault, decorated with paterae, with at the centre a glazed
light. The Drawing Room has a white marble fireplace with
fluted pilasters and moulded cornice. In the flutes and frieze
are scagiola panels in dark green with a frieze of wreaths and
urns. The decorated skirting and dado rail have above full
height plaster panels rising to an elaborate cornice of acanthus
scrolls, urns and entaglios of classical figures. The ceiling
decoration is a delicate plaster oval with fan corners, the whole
filled with Adam style scrolls and garlands. The doorcase to
the front Hall has an elaborate fluted and moulded plaster
architrave with Corinthian capitals and a frieze of urns, scrolls
and a central oval panel of Venus. The 6 panels of the door are
decorated with Greek Key design. The floor is oak parquet
arranged in diagonal panels. The Front Hall has full height
plaster panels, a dentillated cornice and a concave lozenge
ceiling centre piece. The Dining Room has a white marble
fireplace with Ionic pillars in veined yellow marble, supporting
fluted frieze and dentillated cornice with at the centre a
classical urn, and tazzas to either side. The plaster panelling
above the dado rail is decorated with harebell garlands. In the
breakfast room is a further classical marble fireplace and the
door leading to the stair hall has a fluted overdoor and is
flanked by single hemispherically headed niches with plaster
cornices, decorated with paterae and flutes.

Listing NGR: SK9720790891

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532875

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)