Monument Type(s):

• COUNTRY HOUSE (Mid 18th century to 20th century (post-war) - 1730 AD? to 1999 AD)
• REQUISITIONED BUILDING? (Second World War to 20th century (post-war) - 1940 AD to 1951 AD)

Summary

A country house of c1730, which is attributed to either Francis Smith of Warwick, or Thomas White of Worcester, restored in 1962, which is protected by Grade I Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4052 - 1994 site visit as part of Listed Buildings Resurvey
• ESA6359 - 1979-80 Site visit at Mawley Hall by Salford University Student
• ESA8642 - 2018 DBA of Mawley Hall by BSA Heritage (Ref: 18/03264/FUL)
• ESA10204 - 2020 DBA and building survey, Mawley Hall by Justin Ayton

Description

Country house. Circa 1730, restored 1962. Attributed variously to either Francis Smith of Warwick, or Thomas White of Worcester. Red brick with sandstone ashlar dressings; Tuscan colossal order pilasters at corners and at angles of three bay centres supporting large moulded and dentilled cornice below second floor level and continued above by short panelled pilasters supporting smaller parapet cornice, windows with gauged brick lintels with raised keystones supporting shelf and carved apron below cill, doors with broken-apex pediments advanced over pilasters or demi-columns, large urns set on parapet. Hipped slate roof. 4 large integral panelled brick ridge chimneys. Rectangular plan of nine bays by seven. Three storeys and basement.
North east front: Nine-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor, with central 3 bays slightly advanced under steep pediment with tall statues each side and urn at apex and with tympanum of plain brick now replacing an infill of the original carved coat of arms. The central sashes with crossette surrounds, with the first floor surround flanked by elongated volutes. The central door has segmental pediment with broken bed and apex with enriched frieze and supported by Corinthian demi-columns with 10-panelled door.
South east front: Seven-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor with central 3 bays advanced. The central door has segmental pediment with modillions and broken apex with plain frieze and supported with Ionic pilasters. 4 pairs of windows set under sashes set in ashlar basement wall.
South west front: Nine-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor, with central 3 bays recessed. The central door has broken apex pediment with Doric entablature and pilasters, and is approached from a double flight of steps balustraded with enriched wrought iron. Basement windows as for south east side. North west front: Seven-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor with 6/6 in basement floor to right-hand side, central 3 bays aligned with flanking bays. Central doorcase is at basement level and has simple quoined ashlar surround with simple entablature with a projecting keyblock. Left side of central bay part covered by later projecting brick flat roofed extension rising to second floor level with mostly paired 6/6 sashes. Left flanking bays covered to first floor with projecting brick flat roofed extension with C20 garage doors.
INTERIOR: Generally very richly decorated in early C18 style and mostly intact. Notable features include: Entrance hall and staircase hall; divided with internal colonnade of 3 rusticated arches, has highly decorative Italianate plasterwork throughout depicting Imperial Busts and classical mythology and is reputed to be by one of the Italian stuccodors, Artari, Bagutti and Vassalli, ornate doorcases with broken apex segmental pediments with inset busts, 10-panelled doors with raised and fielded panels, attached baroque style Corinthian columns. The entrance hall features large chimney piece and large overmantle richly carved with military emblems and trophies. The staircase and first floor balustrade is set around a large open well and features an undulating (or serpentine) mahogany handrail starting with a tail on the balustrade end and terminating at the lower newel with snake-head with a sphere in its jaws, and has alternate pattern carved balusters set on a crested string which in turn features relief carvings of symbols of the arts and various pursuits between festoons and drawing room with octagonal pattern parquetry floor, tarsia inlay using exotic timber and brass to decorate pilasters, dado, moulded cornice, doorcases with segmental pediments with apex broken by scrolls. Marble carved chimney piece with mantle shelf supported on termini. Dining room redecorated in the Adam style circa 1770 with moulded cornice, attached Corinthian columns framing a large curved recess with moulded frieze, carved white marble fireplace with carved keyblock. Oak drawing room has modillioned carved cornice, Ionic pilasters and columns, complete large raised fielded panelling, carved shouldered architraves, overmantle with festoons, all in carved oak. Marble fireplace with richly carved frieze and flanking termini. Trompe-l'oeil painted ceiling by Graham Rust. Roof of main bordering pitches with 2 infilling inner pitches. Structure of main king-post trusses with subsidiary king-post trusses set above each main truss principal rafter, tenoned purlins and tenoned ridge, now over-roofed in centre with C20 flat lead roof.
Date first Listed 12/11/54. No of Structures 1. Type of Inspection Y <2>

Country house. C1730, restored 1962. Attributed to either Francis Smith of Warwick, or Thomas White of Worcester.
MATERIALS: red brick with sandstone ashlar dressings; Giant Roman Doric order pilasters at corners and at angles of 3-bay centre supporting large moulded and dentilled cornice below second floor and continued above by short panelled pilasters supporting smaller parapet cornice. Windows with gauged brick lintels with raised keystones supporting shelf and carved apron below sills, doors with broken segmental pediments advanced over pilasters or demi-columns, large urns set on parapet. Hipped slate roof. 4 large integral panelled brick ridge chimneys.
PLAN: rectangular of 9 bays by 7.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and basement. North-east front is 9-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor, with central 3 bays slightly advanced under steep pediment with tall statues each side and urn at apex and with tympanum of plain brick now replacing an infill of the original carved coat of arms. The central sashes with rosette surrounds, with the first-floor surround flanked by elongated volutes. The central door has segmental pediment with broken bed and apex with enriched frieze and supported by Corinthian demi-colurnns either side of a 10-panelled door. South-east front: 7-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor with central 3 bays advanced. The central door has segmental pediment with modillions and broken apex with plain frieze and supported by Ionic pilasters. 4 pairs of windows set under sashes set in ashlar basement wall. South-west front: 9-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor, with central 3 bays recessed. The central door has broken apex pediment with Doric entablature and pilasters, and is approached from a double flight of steps balustraded with enriched wrought iron. Basement windows as for south-east side.
North-west front: 7-window range of 9/6 sashes, 6/3 at second floor with 6/6 in basement to right-hand side. Central 3 bays aligned with flanking bays. Central doorcase is at basement level and has simple quoined ashlar surround with simple entablature with a projecting keyblock. Left side of central bay partly covered by later projecting brick flat roofed extension rising to second floor with mostly paired 6/6 sashes. Left flanking bays covered to first floor with projecting brick flat-roofed extension with C20 garage doors.
INTERIOR: generally very richly decorated in early C18 style and mostly intact. Notable features include: entrance hall and staircase hall divided by an internal colonnade of 3 rusticated arches, has highly decorative Italianate plasterwork throughout depicting Imperial busts and classical mythology and is reputed to be by one of the Italian stuccodores, Artari, Bagutti and Vassalli, ornate doorcases with broken apex segmental pediments with inset busts, 10-panelled doors with raised and fielded panels, attached Baroque-style Corinthian columns. The entrance hall features a large chimneypiece and large overmantel richly carved with military emblems and trophies. The staircase and first-floor balustrade is set around a large open well and features an undulating (or serpentine) mahogany handrail starting with a tail on the balustrade end and terminating at the lower newel with a snake's head with a sphere in its jaws, and has alternate pattern carved balusters set on a crested string which in turn features relief carvings of symbols of the arts and various pursuits, set between festoons. Inlaid drawing room with octagonal pattern marquetry floor, tarsia inlay using exotic timber and brass to decorate pilasters, dado, moulded cornice, doorcases with segmental pediments with apex broken by scrolls. Marble carved chimneypiece with mantel shelf supported on termini. Dining room redecorated in the Adam style c1770 with moulded cornice, attached Corinthian columns framing a large curved recess with moulded frieze, carved white marble fireplace with carved keyblock. Drawing room has modillioned carved cornice, Ionic pilasters and columns, complete large raised and fielded panelling, carved shouldered architraves, overmantel with festoons, all in carved oak. Marble fireplace with richly carved frieze and flanking termini. Trompe-l'oeil painted ceiling by Graham Rust. Roof consists of main bordering pitches with 2 infilling inner pitches. Structure of main king-post trusses with subsidiary king-post trusses set above each main truss principal rafter, tenoned purlins and tenoned ridge, now over-roofed in centre with C20 flat lead roof. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Shropshire: Harmondsworth, Middlesex: 1958-: 197; Country Life: 18) . <3>

A site visit was undertaken to Mawley Hall c.1979-1980 by a student at the University of Salford, investigating the problems involved in the repair and conservation of country houses. Includes a number of condition photographs and drawings. <7>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2008. <8><9>

One of the most richly decorated houses in England. The small drawing room has a parquetry floor in a radiating pattern, wainscot and flanking pilasters with marquetry ornament. The plasterwork is extraordinarily profuse -'Nowhere else in England has plasterwork taken over to this degree'- and may well be later than 1740, the staircase hall has its walls covered with rococo decoration in plaster panels containing busts and human figures; the ceilings of the staircase-hall and of the hall have swirling rococo ornament around recessed central panels; that of the small drawing room has birds and flowers with a figure of Aurora, and in the room over it the ceiling has a central panel with an eared surround and figures of amorini and centaurs. The splendid trophy of arms on the hall piece is exceptional in its vituosity, but typical in its intent.->

-> The hand rail of the outstanding staircase has been given a sinuous rippling form like an undulating snake and the face of the string is carved with sea creatures, fish nets, and musical instruments.->

-> The plasterwork medallions are identical with those known to be by the Italian Francesco Vassali at Towneley Hall, Burnley (Lancs).->

->Sir Edward Blount's chapel c.1730 recatangular in plan and narrowed at one end by convex curves to form a deep recess for the altar. <10>

Sources

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