Description

BITTERLEY

SO57NE Bitterley Court
482-1/6/73
12/11/54

GV II*

Manor house. Mid C17 core, remodelled in 1769 by Thomas
Pritchard, early C19 alterations. Rendered walls. Tile and
slate roofs with ashlar-coped gables. Brick eaves and ridge
chimneys with star-shaped multiple shafted stack to north
wing. H-shaped plan.
EXTERIOR: 2-storey, attic and cellar. South front is 7-window
range of 6/3 sashes over 6/6 sashes with cambered heads.
Nearly half are glazed blind windows. Central 3 window bays
advanced under pediment with modillion eaves and roundel set
in tympanum, and with central door and doorcase. Splayed
open-tread stone steps in front of doorcase. Doorcase with
eared architraves set within brackets supporting shallow flat
canopy with carved stone crest over, 6-panelled door with 4
upper panels glazed.
Left return side to west: 3 gables with further projecting
gables to left and right. Flanking gables each with 2-storey,
2-window ranges of 6/6 sashes with blind attic window over,
all with cambered heads. Central gable fenestrated as for
flanking gables but with 3 windows and central doorcase,
converted to a window with glazed panelled infill with
matching side lights, set in moulded frame with plain fascia
and shallow flat projecting canopy with cornice. Garden area
enclosed by wings has 2 small stone wall piers of ball finial
on tapered shaft on plinth with raised panels, one dated 1649.
Right return side to east: 3 gables with projecting gables to
left and right. Flanking gables each with single attic opening
under cambered head, 6/6 sash to left with arched cellar
doorway and C20 window to right which also has C20 garage
doors flanked by buttresses. Central gable partly covered by
extension with high parapet end wall, which has large 6/6 sash
and glazed door with top light. 2-light attic casement to
gable behind.
Rear: right side masked by single-storey slate-roofed brick
lean-to. To centre are three 6/6 sashes over 2 late C17 12/12
sashes with no sills. To left 2 late C17 8/12 sashes over 6/6
sash and plain boarded door with top light. C20 dormer over.
INTERIOR: north wing sashes have ovolo-moulded glazing bars
and flat-block junctions. C17 oak quarter-landing staircase
with closed string and turned balusters. North wing roof of 4
bays: single trenched purlin with raking strut and upper
collar trusses. Central wing: C18 staircase with open string,
turned balusters and curtail step. South wing: cental panelled
hall with 2 marble Tuscan columns, adapted oak panelling. C16
inserted chimneypiece with high-relief figurative carving.
Flanking rooms retain late C18 decoration: moulded cornices
and dado with low-relief ornamental panelling below,
6-panelled doors with raised interior panels and eared
architraves with plain entablature and cornice over, ornate
chimneypieces, window boxed shutters intact. Moulded ceiling
to east room. West room has low-relief panelling above dado.

Listing NGR: SO5709377244

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17551566

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)