Barnston Manor is a 13th-century manor house and farm near Church Knowle in Dorset, England. The house is a Grade I listed building, and some farm buildings at the property are also Grade II listed.
| Barnston Manor | |
|---|---|
 Barnston Manor in 2004 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Manor house |
| Classification | Grade I |
| Location | Church Knowle, Dorset, England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50°38′0″N 2°5′57″W / 50.63333°N 2.09917°W |
| Construction started | 13th century |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Stone |
History
editBarnston Manor was built in the 13th century, around 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from Church Knowle in Dorset, England.[1][2] It is on the site of a former Saxon house, which may also have been preceded by a Roman house on the site.[3] Barnston Manor is believed to be one of the oldest houses in Dorset.[4] It has been owned by the same family for 700 years;[4] in the 16th-century it was owned by local MP John Clavell, and in the 17th-century it was lived in by his descendants, until they built Smedmore House.[3]
One chimney in the house is believed to have been added in the 15th century.[1] In the 16th century, Barnston Manor was expanded with the addition of a west wing,[1] as well as stone fireplaces.[2] Since the 16th century, there have been no major upgrades to the building.[1] The former hall in the east wing has been converted into a kitchen and a dairy.[1] The north wing was formerly a chantry chapel, and contains a memorial to the Clavell family.[3] It is believed that the house had a garderobe wing, but this no longer exists.[5] It is also believed to have had a gatehouse and enclosed courtyard until the 19th-century.[6] Barnston Manor contains around 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) of land.[4]
Barnston Manor was later used as a farm;[1] a farm building[7] and two barns[8][9] on the estate are Grade II listed buildings.[4] In 1959, Barnston Manor became a Grade I listed building.[2] In 2018, the building was put up for sale for £1.5 million.[4]
Architecture
editBarnston Manor is built in a T-shape.[1] It is built from rubble stone, with ashlar for the outside front walls, and a slate roof.[2] It is architecturally similar to Old Soar Manor in Kent.[10] The house contains a number of 13th century windows,[1][2] and the south wing is designed as to maximise light.[10] The east wing has a 16th-century stone fireplace, a stone spiral staircase, and 16th-century timbers in the roof.[2] The height of the hall was reduced in the 16th century.[10] The timbers in the west wing roof have been replaced, and the west wing walls are now covered in plaster.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset. Vol. 2. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1970. pp. 41–49. Retrieved 9 March 2021 – via British History Online.
- ^ a b c d e f Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1120351)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ a b c "Church Knowle "A lovable little place"". Dorset Life. April 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "700-hundred-year itch: one of Dorset's oldest houses for sale — unmodernised". Evening Standard. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Barnston Manor, Dorset, and Aydon Castle, Northumberland: A Re-assessment of Two Late Thirteenth-Century Houses
- ^ Emery, Anthony (2006). Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300–1500. Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 465. ISBN 9781139449199.
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1120352)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1303798)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1323385)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ a b c Newman, John; Pevnser, Nikolaus (1972). Dorset. Yale University Press. p. 156. ISBN 9780300095982.