Description

WESTON WESTON PARK
SE 14 NE
10/96 Weston Hall
(formerly listed as Hall)
6.2.52
GV I

Country house. Late C16/early C17 hall and cross wing, possibly with
medieval core, mid C18 extension and rebuilding to west and south sides and
refenestration probably c1820 to east (garden) front. For members of the
Vavasour family. Earliest work of coursed gritstone rubble with ashlar
quoins; mid C18 work of coursed squared gritstone and later work of edge
tooled ashlar gritstone. Roof of graduated gritstone slates and lead.
Built on sloping ground. 4-bay main range of 2 storeys plus basement with
slightly projecting 3 by 4-bay 2-storey range with basement to south and
projecting one by 3-bay north wing of 3 storeys plus basement and attic,
having a recessed 3-storey half bay to right. North wing has single-storey
kitchen and 3-storey, 2-bay wing to rear. West front of 6 bays, 2 storeys
over basement. Plinth and quoins. East (garden) front: main range, bay
3 opposed stone stairs to paired round-arched half-glazed doors with
consoles and cornice. 2 round-arched basement windows with glazing bars to
front of staircase landing, to left 3-light mullioned small paned window, to
right 4-light flat-faced mullion window. Above bays 1, 2 and 4: tall
4-light deeply recessed chamfered mullion windows, those to first floor with
round-headed lights, all with cornices as entrance. Deep eaves cornice and
blocking course. Ashlar ridge stack, rainwater pipe with brackets decorated
with cock badges of Vavasour family, far right. 3-bay range to left:
bay 1 - sash with glazing bars in raised surround, bay 2 - projecting stack,
bay 3 (also projecting); C18 18-pane sash in raised surround. First floor:
left, 3-light mullioned and double transomed window in cavetto moulded
surround; right, 5-light corniced window as to main range, with stepped
eaves- band over. Central paired octagonal flues and balustrade of reused
mullions either side. Basement: central chamfered single-light window and
3-light chamfered mullion window left. Corner buttress to south-east. Lead
downpipe as main range to right of stack. North range: ovolo-moulded
windows throughout. Basement has 5-light window, one light blocked, flanked
by massive buttresses. 3 tiers of 10-light canted mullion and transom bay
windows with label-stops to hoodmoulds. Gabled parapet above has blind
window plus hoodmould and tall crocketed pinnacles. Corniced ashlar stack.
Early C18 6-bay west front, entrance bay 4. Flight of steps to half-glazed
panelled door with divided overlight in raised stone surround; sashes with
glazing bars in raised plain surrounds throughout. Staircase windows over
door at landing levels. Blocked cross window to first floor right, painted
to resemble existing sashes which have marks of similar original
fenestration. Moulded eaves cornice, hipped roof to right, multi-flued
corniced ridge stacks between bays 1 and 2, 5 and 6. West kitchen range to
north has projecting gable with two 3-light C17 mullioned windows and
6-light flat-faced mullion window over. Moulded kneelers and copings and
bellcote. 4-bay south elevation of early C18 west range has 2-light
chamfered mullion basement windows in plain surround; ground and first floor
with sashes with glazing bars in raised surrounds. Deep moulded cornice.
North elevation, irregular: canted bay window to centre, ovolo-moulded
mullion windows throughout. Single and 2-light windows to ground floor,
3-light canted window flanked by square windows, that to right with central
mullion to first floor; and canted 5-light mullion-and-transom window
flanked by cross windows to second floor, left window with elaborate lead
cames. Moulded cornice and parapet with panels of double vase balusters.
Interior: principal rooms ranged along east side. From left to right: the
dining room has late C19 panelling, morning room behind has early C18
panelling and cornice. Hall has 6-panel early C18 doors in bolection-
moulded architraves with pulvinated friezes, contemporary shutters, dado,
and ceiling cornice. Late C19 wooden overmantel. Round arched recess in
south-east corner contains staircase with vase and column balusters.
Original entrance to hall now in corridor to west concealed in early C18
cupboard: wide C15 shallow pointed arch with moulded chamfered surround and
decorated spandrels. Staircase hall reached through thick chimney wall, and
up 5 steps. Staircase, early C19 with slender column balusters and moulded
handrail. Landing ceiling with elaborate plaster rose. C18 6-panel door to
passage room, lined with C17 oak panelling and having 2 early C18 doors, one
glazed. Dragon room beyond contains large Tudor-arched fireplace with 3
plaster shields above, ceiling supported by deep cornice, decorated with
reliefs of early C16 armorial badges including flowers, dragons etc, also
early C17 panelling. Bedroom in north wing has similar panelling and stone
fireplace with classical motifs similar to banqueting hall (qv) and Dob Park
Lodge. Timber overmantel has arcaded panels flanked by fluted pilasters
surmounted by inlaid cock and owl plus central panel inscribed "V M I 1602".
Drawing room over hall has complete early C19 interior. 2 further
staircases: C17 one at junction of north wing and kitchen range with vase
balusters replaced to attics by splat balusters, and early C18 knopped
column-on-vase baluster staircase to west range. North-east basement room
has Tudor-arched fireplace with 3 plasterwork shields over and C17 cornice.
History: family history linked with building phases. In 1549 John le
Vavasour was described as 'of Weston', his son, William, was buried at the
church (qv) in 1587. His son, Mauger (knighted 1603) married Joan Savile
and in 1602 was selling other properties, possibly to help with his work at
Weston. North wing rebuilt at this date. Sir Mauger's great grandson,
Mauger, died in 1753, he or his son, William, probably responsible for
further alterations to west and south sides. The last Vavasour died in
1833, the estate passing to nephew, William Emsall Carter and through sister
to Dawson family. Late C19 works include re-roofing south side in 1884 and
the installation of electric light c1887. Sources: Country Life, Nov 13
1958, pp 1112-1116.

Listing NGR: SE1779946710

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Weston Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17538196

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)