Details
NORTH SOMERCOTES WARREN LANE
TF 49 NW
(south side)
2/45 Locksley Hall
G.V. II
House. C16, 1921-5. Red brick with ashlar dressings, some
render, some applied timber framing. Hipped concrete tiled roof
behind ashlar dressed brick parapets with ball finials on
corners. Single ridge stack, single projecting stack with 2
angle shafts. 2 storey, 4 bay south front of 1921-5 with
projecting left hand bay and 2 right hand bays set back. Doorway
to left with four centred head with upper foliate decoration,
moulded jambs and heavy plank door. Rectangular bay window to
left with 3 light mullion window and single lights on return
walls. Projecting east wall to right of doorway with 3 light
mullion window with moulded string course above. Doorway with
four centred head and plank door to right, in south wall, with
mullion window with 4 triangular headed lights beyond. Large
plaque above doorway with lighthome and inscribed 1500, 1925.
Single light window above with triangular head. 3 light cross
mullion window to left. Projecting east wall to right of doorway
with 3 light mullion window with hood mould. 2 light window
above doorway to right with moulded cornice. Mullion window to
right with 6 triangular headed lights. East side with plinth and
single triangular headed light to left with hood mould and
moulded string course. 5 light mullion window to right with
central flat headed light flanked by 2 triangular headed lights
on each side, and hood mould. Timber framing above. Single
light triangular headed window to left with hood mould. 3 light
mullion window with hood mould with carved plaque above. C16
west side with plinth with chimney breast to right and C20
mullion window to left with 3 triangular headed lights and hood
mould. Moulded string course and applied timber framing above.
Mullion window to left with 3 triangular headed lights and hood
mould. North front of 4 bays with 2 C16 bays to right,
projecting C20 staircase bay to left with C20 bay set back
beyond. Staircase bay with 3 light cross mullion window with
hood mould, slit light above with parapet rising to segmental
headed pediment. Return walls of staircase bay with pilaster
buttresses. 2 bays to right with plinth. 3 light C20 mullion
window to left with hood mould with single light window beyond
with hood mould. Single light window to left of staircase bay
with triangular head and hood mould. 4 light mullion window with
hood mould above to right. Single light window with triangular
head and hood mould above to left. C16 morning room with
original C18 fielded panelling with delicate, dentillated
cornice, broad, deep fireplace with C20 red brick back and early
C20 richly carved mahogany bressummer. C16 chamfered beam runs
across room with finely carved stops. Window to east with 3
panels of C16 stained glass, 2 of knights, one of the Last
Supper. Dining room of 1921-5 with C17 fielded panels, 2 richly
carved beams, C20 fireplace re-using C13 panels with crudely
carved figures. Stained glass panels in west window including
C16 panel of St. Martin, a bishop and marriage scene; and 2 C19
shields. Hall with bell chamber above. Stone fireplace in style
of Eric Gill with figures ploughing, sowing and harvesting, with
angels. Ornately carved beams and staircase, including carved
figures of mermaids, a ship and a squirrel with acorns. Richly
carved cornice with birds, flowers and fruit. Panelling includes
3 panels with shields dated 1584. Staircase window with 6 lights
full of fragments of medieval glass including a C14 black and
yellow canopy, C15 head of bishop, 3 nimbed boys, woman with
apple of c.1430, 2 French C15 angels with scrolls; various
figures from Chertsey Abbey including a youth in orange robe and
head of girl; and a C14 shield from Cantley Church in Norfolk.
Small hall window with various C14 quarries, mostly in grisaille.
Ornate cross beamed hall ceiling with 2 half bell shaped embedded
in cornice on each side. North window of main bedroom with a
number of C14, C15, C16 and C17 heads, and 2 pieces of grisaille.
Bedroom with ornately carved doorcase, beams and cornice. 2
other bedrooms, small lobby and bathroom, all with richly carved
cornices, panelling and fragments of medieval and renaissance
stained glass re-set in windows. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, stayed
at Locksley Hall as a child and again, later in his life. He
wrote much of his early poetry here and commemorated the Hall in
his poems: 'Locksley Hall' and "Locksley Hall Sixty Years
Afterwards'. Source: Christopher Woodforde. 'The Locksley Hall
Collection of Stained and Painted Glass'. Privately printed.
1932.
Listing NGR: TF4342495597
