Description

SU 12 NE ALDERBURY TUNNEL HILL
(south side)

5/25 Alderbury House

23/3/60

GV II*

Country house. Late C18. For George Fort possibly by James Wyatt.
Ashlar, with attached brick wing, Welsh slate hipped roof. 2
storey with basement and attic, 3-bay front; central bay flanked by
canted bays. Central, glazed door up steps with balustrade, side
and top lights with consoles and whole in round-arched panel.
Either side are 2 storey canted bays with 12-pane sashes and flat
arches in stone. Tripartite sash over door. Modillioned cornice
and blocking course. Right return has rusticated basement with
round-arched openings; central glazed door up steps with
tripartite sash either side in arched panels with balustraded
aprons. First floor has three sashes. Garden front to rear is 2-
storey with vermiculated basement and 1:3:1 windows, side bays
project slightly, central rusticated flat-arched windows with
rusticated round-arched windows to sides of basement. Ground floor
has three 15-pane sashes to centre and 15-pane sashes with
balustraded apron in round-arched panel to sides. First floor has
seven 12-pane sashes. To left of entrance front is 2-storey, 6-
window brick wing with slate hipped roof, windows are sashes to
front and French windows with casements to rear.
Interior: much survives despite army use during war. Central
entrance has fine curving stairs with wrought iron balustrade.
Contemporary doors and door cases throughout; doors with central
beading. Drawing room has large round-arched alcove flanked by
Ionic columns, fine plaster cornice, moulded dado and marble
fireplace. Dining room with double apsidal ends and curved doors,
marble fireplace. Sitting room has acanthus plaster cornice and
Adam style fireplace. Circular bedroom above the dining room.
History: said to have been built by James Wyatt shortly after he
pulled down the campanile at Salisbury Cathedral in 1789, with the
reused stone, but no evidence exists to support this although the
style and period are right. George Fort was a Salisbury hatter
with some interests in the Salisbury Canal which was built in the
area, shortly before the house, but never finished. The house
stands in a landscaped park with a lake which formed part of the
canal.
(Unpublished records of R.C.H.M. (England), Salisbury).

Listing NGR: SU1813426818

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17539185

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living