Description

SE50SW HIGH MELTON

7/86 High Melton Hall

5.6.68
GV II

Country house now college. Dated 1757, additions of 1878, major alterations of
1948-49. Originally for John Fountayne, Dean of York; attributed to James Paine
(Colvin, p611). Deeply-coursed, dressed sandstone, graduated slate roof to central
block. U-shaped C18 block extended to rear to form H-shaped range. Entrance front:
2:7:2 bays with C19 bay set back slightly on right. Plinth, quoins. Deeply-recessed,
3-storey central part has single-storey porch with blocked columns flanking rusticated
round arch with console-shaped keystone, frieze inscribed 'NISI DOMINUS', cornice
surmounted by affronted elephants. Flanking sashes with glazing bars, middle bays
with shouldered architraves and 3 projecting voussoirs. Taller, lst-floor windows
with sill band, central bay has swept, shouldered and eared architrave with projecting
voussoirs and segmental pediment; middle bays to each side with corniced architraves.
2nd floor: unequally-hung 9-pane sashes, central bay with architrave. Modillioned
cornice with blocking course, ridge stack to right of centre. 2-storey wings have
unequally-hung 9-pane sashes to ground floor with soffit-nuulded sills and architraves
with small keyblocks; similar surrounds to tall lst-floor windows with unequally-hung,
15-pane sashes. Cornice with blocking course has added parapet with rainwater heads
dated 1949, mansard roofs of same date have end windows. 5-bay inner returns of
wings as end bays, roof dormers. Rear: rubble-walled, curved projection has relieving
arch to plain Venetian window. Left return; ashlar garden front with 3-storey canted
bay having cornice to each floor, balustraded aprons and pediment.

Interior: Tuscan-pillared entrance hall. Curved projection to rear (formerly with
staircase) has Ionic surround to Venetian window, flanking niches, modillioned cornice.
lst-floor library to left of entrance has consoled, marble fireplace having raised
panel over with broken pediment, flanking niches; doorcase with pulvinated, oak-leaf
frieze and consoled pediment; architraved wall panels; modillioned cornice and coved
edge to ceiling. Adjacent room has doorcase with shouldered architrave and cornice.

Passed to the Montague family then used by the military before purchase by Doncaster
Education Committee in 1946.

H. Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 1978.

Listing NGR: SE5081301835

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26601216

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.

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