Description

OVERBURY CP -
SO 9437 - 9537
9/118 13/2B Overbury Court
30-7-59
GV II*

Country house. Circa c1739, minor alterations in 1887 and major alterations
1897-1900 by Richard Norman Shaw, further alterations in 1909 and 1911 by
Ernest Newton and in 1959 by Victor Heal; all alterations for the Martin
family. Limestone ashlar with hipped Welsh slate roof behind tall parapets
and large ashlar ridge stacks (probably mainly of mid- to late C19 date)
with moulded cappings above either a dentilled cornice or on corbels. Two
storeys, attic and cellar; the attic storey is of a darker stone and incor-
porated into the parapet which rises above the prominent moulded eaves cornice.
2:3:2 bays; the central bays break forward and are surmounted by a pediment.
There are chamfered end quoins up to the attic level. The windows to the two
main storeys have moulded architraves with corbels beneath the jambs and moulded
keyblocks (on the first floor the keyblocks meet the eaves cornice). The central
first floor window has an eared architrave and ornately carved keyblock. All
the windows are 18-pane sashes. The outer bays of the attic storey have square
windows and the central three bays have Windows with elliptically-arched heads,
imposts and moulded architraves; all have keyblocks and 2-light casements. There
is a circular window within the pediment above. The central entrance has a ped-
iment and entablature on engaged, unfluted Ionic columns, glazed, multi-paned
double doors and a barred segmental fanlight. The left side elevation is of
five bays, the windows have aprons and there is a central pedimented door with
a Gibbs surround. A two-storey addition by Shaw of 2:1:2 bays adjoins the
right side elevation. The windows are similar to the original part except for
a tripartite sash which occupies bays 4 and 5 of the ground floor and a half-
glazed door in bay 1. The central part projects and reaches above attic storey
level to. house a lift shaft. It has concave corner rebates, a window on both
main floors and a round-headed attic window, the moulding above which returns
at impost level and continues as a string to the main parapet coping. Other
additions include the present main entrance porch which projects from the
centre of a two-storey rear extension. It has a parapet above a moulded cornice,
a moulded plinth and concave corner rebates. The entrance has a segmental ped-
iment, a moulded architrave (the mouldings returning to continue at plinth level)
and panelled double doors. There is also a large porch with a moulded cornice,
concave corner rebates, large round-headed archways and impost band adjoining
the left side at the rear. Further additions of c1959 also include a five-
bay two-storey wing surmounted by a small lantern to the rear right and a long
single-storey range to the rear left which enclose a rear courtyard. Interior:
there is an open well staircase to the rear of the central bays (said to be re-
located) with turned balusters, a moulded and wreathed handrail and moulded
brackets. Facing the staircase is a domed lobby set on round-headed arches with
panelled soffits. Many original fireplaces survive including the two in the
panelled room to the left side of the ground floor which are flanked by giant
pilasters. (Saint, A: Richard Norman Shaw, London, 1976; Newton, W G: The Life
and Work of Ernest Newton, London, 1925; BoE, p 232: HBMC Gardens Register for
Hereford and Worcester).

Listing NGR: SO9566937485

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Overbury Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17548579

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)