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BELTON & MANTHORPE SK9239 BELTON PARK, Belton 1315-0/8/70 (North West side) 19/02/52 Belton House GV I Country house 1685-1688. Designed by William Winde and built by William Stanton, Master Mason, for Sir John Brownlow. Altered 1777 by James Wyatt for Sir Brownlow Cust; internal alterations c1816 by Jeffry Wyatville for the first Earl Brownlow; further alterations, and reinstatement of some earlier alterations c1870-1900, possibly by J H Pollen, for the third Earl Brownlow. National Trust property from 1983. Limestone ashlar from Ancaster and Ketton, and from the earlier manor house. Hipped Westmorland slate roofs rising to a lead flat bounded by a balustrade, renewed in fibreglass c1986, and topped with an octagonal lead domed wooden cupola supported by volutes, renewed late C19. 8 panelled and coped ashlar stacks. Plinth, quoins, first floor band, modillion eaves cornice. 2 storeys plus basement and attics; 11 x 10 windows. Double pile, H-plan. Windows are mainly glazing bar sashes, 18-pane on the first floor and 15-pane below, with moulded surrounds and cornices. Dormers, restored late C19, have 9-pane sashes and triangular or segmental pediments. Southern entrance front has a projecting pedimented centre, 3 windows, and projecting hipped end bays, 2 windows. The larger central window has an enlarged surround and cornice. Above it, in the pediment, a cartouche. Central doorcase with columns and entablature by Wyatt, with cross framed glazed double doors. Steps outside with turned balustrade, flanked by balustrade screen walls. Side and end bays have 2 windows on each floor. Return angles have 2 blanks on each floor. 6 dormers. Garden front, to north, is almost identical, with a cartouche and swags in the pediment, flanked by oval windows. Panelled doorcase with segmental pediment on brackets, the door itself replaced by a 15-pane sash. Similar steps without screen walls. Return angles have 3 windows on each floor. Courtyard front, to west, has a centre, 4 windows, defined by quoins, and 4 dormers. Square near-central porch, late C19, with panelled sides, square Doric pilasters, and glazed double doors under a dentillated cornice. Above it, a solid balustrade with the Royal arms in a panel. On either side, 4 windows. The north west service wing abuts the left end, replacing an original window. East front, of the same design, has regular fenestration. INTERIOR retains the major elements of the original plan, with "a large central hall on the south side flanked by smaller reception rooms leading to passages on the east and west wings, with large rooms in each corner pavilion, and secondary staircases. This arrangement is repeated on the north side of the house and on both floors". (Marsden & Barber). Alterations were made in the early C19 by Wyatville and in the late C19 by G Jackson & Sons of London. Marble Hall (entrance hall) has panelling c1722, and 2 marble fireplaces with naturalistic wooden pendants above, all late C17, the carving by Edmund Carpenter and probably by Gibbons. Tapestry room, to west, remodelled c1890 in C17 style. Staircase hall, to east, has a coved ceiling with plasterwork by Edward Goudge, and an open well oak staircase with turned balusters, renewed in 1823 by Wyatville. Saloon, on the north side, has pedimented doorcases and prolific woodcarving by Carpenter. Ceiling 1892, by Jackson & Sons, in the style of Goudge. Red drawing room, to west, by Wyatville, has moulded wall panels and cornice, running dog frieze, and marble fireplace. Tyrconnel room, to east, originally a state bedroom, has an unusual painted floor, late C19, and overmantel carving, possibly by Carpenter. West wing has a central entrance hall with dogleg stair. To north, former ante-library, 1809, by Wyatville, rearranged as a breakfast room, 1877. To north again, former library, 1809, by Wyatville, rearranged as a state dining room in 1877 and hung with giant paintings by Hondecoter. East wing has a central open well staircase with turned balusters, and a C19 crane and winch. To north, Chapel drawing room with restored marbled decoration, 1772, and 2 tapestries, late C18, by Vanderbank. Adjoining 2 storey chapel has an outstanding ceiling by Edward Goudge and a triple arched gallery with elaboate woodcarving and an organ by William Hill in a case of 1826, by Wyatville. Fittings include a marbled wooden reredos with double columns and segmental pediment, and box pews. On the first floor, central library on the south side, remodelled as a drawing room, 1778 by James Wyatt and rearranged as a library 1877. Segmental vaulted ceiling by Wyatt, bookcases by Wyatville, and marble fireplace with caryatids by Westmacott. Boudoir, to west, by Wyatt, 1776, has a similar ceiling and a marble fireplace probably by William Tyler. On the north side, the Queen's bedroom has unpainted wooden panelling and enriched marble fireplace with frieze panel possibly by Edmund Carpenter. Adjoining ante-library, to west, originally a dressing room, has marbled decoration, 1884. Chinese bedroom, to east, has joinery painted to imitate bamboo, and C18 Chinese wallpaper. Much modified principal rafter roof with joggled purlins. Basement contains butler's pantry, housekeeper's room, plate room, cellars, and other service rooms with specialised fittings. Belton House is perhaps the best surviving example of a country house derived from the work of Roger Pratt. It also contains important examples of the work of Goudge and Carpenter, and the designs of Wyatt and Wyatville. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N, Harris J & Antram N: Lincolnshire: London: 1964-1989: 136-139; Marsden J & Barber A: Belton House: London: 1985-1987; Tinniswood A: Belton House, Lincolnshire: London: 1992-; Gunnis R: Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660-1851: London: 1951-: 367-368). Listing NGR: SK9290839302

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