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Description

BITCHFIELD AND BASSINGTHORPE SK 92 NE BASSINGTHORPE 2/3 The Manor House 19.2.52 G.V. I Country house much reduced, now house. 1568 for Thomas Coney, with some C19 and C20 alterations. Ashlar with slate roof having elaborately crow stepped gables with scrolled kneelers, dentillations to the steps and ball finials. The date 1568 appears in the west gable. 4 tall moulded square ridge stacks in the form of classical columns, and a pair of tapering square gable stacks, all with moulded tops and bases with cable fluted frieze. Probably parlour block added to earlier much larger house, all traces of which have now gone. 3 bay, 3 storey front with basement and garret having plinth, 2 moulded strings and eaves courses. In the basement are 3 two light glazing bar sliding sashes with double chamfered recessed openings. To ground floor are single 3 and 2 light windows, 4 centred arched heads to the lights, roll moulded mullions, deeply recessed concave surrounds and moulded hoods. To the first floor, to the left, is a canted oriel window supported on scrolled brackets, with cabled fluted frieze to base, panelled sides with squares and lozenges, a 3 light window, a further fluted frieze, a moulded cornice and above a segmental dentillated pediment containing a sunk oval and surmounted by ball finials. To the right single 3 and 2 light windows having cable fluted friezes and cornices. All these windows have ashlar cross mullions with raised edges. In the lower projecting former stair turret to the right is a single C20 2 light window to the ground floor, 2 light mullioned window to the upper floor, above which is a moulded segmental pediment containing a rabbit (Coney) the rebus of Thomas Coney the builder. Above is a rectangular panel containing Coney's wool mark. Beyond to the right is a C20 panelled door with above a 2 light mullioned window. There is a further 2 light mullioned window to the garret. In the rear wall are 2 late C17 ovolo moulded mullion windows, probably repositioned. The walling here is of an inferior quality and the existence of a blocked internal door to the right shows that the house originally continued in this direction. To the right, set back, are C16 3 light windows to each floor, showing that this part was the side elevation of a projecting wing. In the angle between the 2 ranges is a square turret block having a stone coped gable with cusped gablettes and colonette finial of medieval character, probably re-used. Interior. The basement has 2 rooms with a 4 centred arched doorway between,, and unstopped beams. Elsewhere beams are chamfered with ogee stops. On the ground floor the present kitchen has a fireplace with 4 centred arched surround. The living room has full height mid C17 panelling and a C16 fireplace surround, ashlar, with pilasters, moulded surround and cornice. There are 2 similar surrounds to the upper floors, one with cable fluted pilasters. The oriel window to the first floor contains reset medieval stained glass fragments, and has an ashlar shelf on moulded scrolled brackets. In the kitchen, concealed behind a modern cupboard, at high level, is a small area of wall painting, on a brick wall, possibly an eagle, or foliate design, in a lobed lozenge with interlace edging. The roof has cut ties with braced props. History. Thomas Coney inherited the house in 1545 from his father, a merchant on the Calais Staple. His wife, Alice, was the daughter of Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London. Inventories indicate that a substantial house existed in 1564, i.e. before the date of the current building. Given high grade in recognition of advanced quality of architectural design for which there are no known parallels. Source: Unpublished notes by N. Cooper, RCHM. Listing NGR: SK9878728730

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