Description

BURTON CONSTABLE BURTON CONSTABLE LANE
TA 1836-1936
(west side, off)
9/2 Burton Constable Hall
4.3.52
GV I
Country house. Late C16 for John Constable or Sir Henry Constable with
later additions and alterations including addition of top storey and portal
of 1759-60 and with interior alterations including those of 1736 for
Cuthbert Constable, those of c1757-1775 for William Constable by Thomas and
Timothy Lightoller, Thomas Atkinson and James Wyatt and those of c1840 for
Sir Thomas Constable. Reddish-brown brick in Flemish bond with purple brick
diaper patterning and ashlar dressings, with Welsh slate and lead roofs.
Approximately H-shaped on plan with ranges around garden courtyard to south.
Elizabethan style with Jacobean Revival and Neoclassical alterations to
interior. Main east range: 3 storeys, 9 bays of which first and nineth are
full-height canted bays which rise above the roofline to form turrets, bay
to centre breaks forward with raised "pediment"; to either end are square
embattled towers, that to left with taller octagonal stair turret; from
these towers are wings which project forwards, of 2 storeys with attics, of
7 bays to left and 6 to right, the second and sixth bays to left range and
the second and fifth bays to right wing are canted to full height. Plinth
with moulded ashlar copings. Ashlar quoins. Central entrance a glazed C20
screen. Within a door with 2-fielded-panels and 9 panes to head with 12-
pane overlight, all set within doorcase of paired Tuscan columns on plinths
with triglyph frieze and dentil cornice. Ground and first floors have 3-
light ovolo-moulded mullion windows with 2 levels of transoms in chamfered
surrounds to second, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth bays, that to first-
floor fifth bay with splayed shoulders to jambs under segmental pediment on
consoles. Similar 4-light windows to third and seventh bays, whilst to
first and nineth are similar 8-light windows around the bays. Inserted
casement window in ashlar surround to left of first bay, first floor.
Moulded first- and second-floor ashlar bands. Third floor has mainly 2-
light, ovolo-moulded mullion windows in chamfered surrounds to each bay,
that to centre in eared architrave. Turrets to canted bays have single-
light windows to sides, and 2-light mullion windows to front, all under
cavetto-moulded hoods with label stops. Ashlar aprons below front windows.
Moulded ashlar cornice surmounted by vases with "pediment" to centre with
coat of arms. Turrets to canted bays a dentil cornice and ogeed domed
roofs. End, embattled towers have 4-light mullion-and-transom windows to
third storey, rubbed brick second-floor band and third-floor cornice of
modillions and cogging. Octagonal stair turret to left is embattled.
Wings: plinth with rubbed brick copings. Projecting bays all have 6-
fielded-panel doors in ovolo-moulded surrounds, that to fifth bay of right
wing has 2-light mullion window above. Mainly 4-light ovolo-moulded mullion
and transom windows except to fourth bay of left wing a 3-light window and
projecting bays which have mainly single-light casements in double-chamfered
surrounds; to fifth bay of right wing a 2-light mullion-and-transom window.
Moulded ashlar first-floor band to right, otherwise rubbed brick first- and
second-floor bands. Upper stage of projecting bays rise above low parapet
and have single lights except to right wing the second bay has a clock.
Ashlar copings. Concealed roof dormers. Gable ends have 2-storey oriel
windows rising from first-floor on ashlar corbels with 5-light mullion-and-
transom windows to each floor. Ashlar copings to gable. Rear and side
stacks. West (garden) facade: main range of 5 bays, 2 storeys, with 3-
storey centre bay, slightly projecting 3-storey, 2-bay ranges to sides.
Ashlar quoins and plinth. Centre bay is canted to 2 storeys. Flight of 4
steps to central entrance, multi-paned double French doors with 8-paned
overlight within tooled, eared architrave with pulvinated frieze and hood.
To sides of bay are 3-light ovolo-moulded mullion windows with 2 levels of
transoms. Otherwise ground floor and first floor have similar 4-light
windows to main facade. Centre bay first floor has a similarly moulded
mullion window with 2 levels of transoms, with centre of 6 lights and sides
and returns each of 3 lights. Second floor, centre bay has 2-light mullion
window below "pediment". Side ranges have canted bays which rise through 2
storeys. Ground floor has 6-light, ovolo-moulded windows with 2 levels of
transoms. Moulded first-floor band. First floor: similar windows to ground
floor. Second floor has 2-light mullion windows. Moulded cornice to
parapet surmounted by 3 vases topped by pineapple finials, those to right
range at centre concealing stacks. North facade has off-centre entrance a
C20 glazed door in moulded ashlar architrave with pulvinated frieze and
pediment. Mainly 12-pane sashes, some painted sashes, otherwise 16-pane,
18-pane, 24-pane, unequally hung 9-pane sashes and 12-pane Yorkshire sashes,
some in moulded ashlar architraves with pulvinated friezes and pediments.
To chapel a 4-light straight-headed window with Perpendicular-type tracery
to head. South return: irregular facade and garden courtyard. Facade: 2, 3
and 4 storeys, irregular bays. Ashlar quoins to some parts. Off-centre and
end entrances, two 6-pane sashes, otherwise unequally-hung 15-pane and 24-
pane sashes, casement windows and 2-, 3-, and 4-light mullion windows. To
left a canted bay to 2 storeys which has 2 rows of 4-light, ovolo-moulded
mullion-and-transom windows to ground floor, moulded cornice. To first
floor an 8-light ovolo-moulded mullion window with 2 levels of transoms.
Surmounting this end are similar vases on plinths to west facade. To off-
centre bay a modillion and cogged cornice and battlements and octagonal
embattled turret. Garden courtyard:- central round-arched entrance in
pedimented surround, flanked by low walls for approximately 8 metres, to
pedestrian entrance with 6 panel doors within-walls approximately 4 metres
long by 4 metres high. To ends are 2-storey, 2-bay embattled pavilions.
Pavilions have 12-pane sashes with ashlar sills under flat arches of red
brick. First- and second-floor ashlar bands. Sides of courtyard occupied
by garden workshops with mainly 6-panel doors and 12-pane sashes. To north
end of west range a rebuilt curvilinear gable. Interior includes suite of
elaborate C18 rooms. Jacobethan long gallery c1736 with bolection-moulded
panelling, frieze with beasts and grapes, ceiling with pendant bosses in
decorative circles, scagliola fireplace by the Bartoli brothers and C15
Netherlandish stained glass. Staircase hall c1760 by Timothy Lightoller has
cantilevered staircase with column-on-plinth balusters, wreathed handrail,
panelled treads and original candle fittings. Rococo great hall c1763 by
Timothy and Thomas Lightoller with elaborate, plaster ceiling, walls with
paired tapering pilasters between arcaded coving and flat ceiling with motif
of square with 4 lobes, Neoclassical stone fireplace with heraldic
overmantel between niches for statues. Sumptuous Neoclassical dining room
c1765 by the Lightollers with ceiling by Cortese, marble relief by William
Collins, plaster reliefs by Henry Cheere and marble fireplace. Drawing room
by James Wyatt c1775 has Neoclassical frieze and ceiling and ornate marble
fireplace by John Bacon. Blue Drawing Room c1783 by Thomas Atkinson has
umbrella dome and 2-columnar Roman Doric screen. Chinese Room has Chinese
wallpaper supplied by Chippendale 1783 and refurbished c1830-40 with carved
dragons. Billiard room designed by Thomas Atkinson in 1774. Ionic
colonnade and apse, converted to chapel in 1844 with stained glass partly by
Peckitt. Further rooms with linenfold and parchemin panelling. Pevsner N,
Yorkshire, York and the East Riding, 1978, pp 210-212. Country Life, 26
January 1907, pp 126-133; 27 August 1932, pp 238-243; 22 April 1982, pp
1114-1117; 29 April 1982, pp 1198-1201; 6 May 1982, pp 1278-1281; 13 May
1982, pp 1358-1361. Hussey C, English Country Houses, Early Georgian, 1715-
1760, 1955, pp 222-227. Burton Constable, guide book.

Listing NGR: TA1887136784

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Burton Constable Hall at Wikipedia
• Burton Constable Hall official website
• Wikidata Q5000832

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

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  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
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  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
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  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)