Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE (16th century to Early 20th century (pre-war) - 1580 AD? to 1901 AD)

Summary

A manor house, circa 1580, which is protected by Grade II* Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4450 - 1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA4451 - 1976 field observation by Shropshire County Council

Description

A stone and brick house of circa 1580. 3 storeys; 3 front gables with stone edging; stone floor bands. Ground storey stone rubble, the upper brick. Appearance affected by two C19 sash windows, brick addition to centre of front: also a lower 2-storeyed brick, hipped extension to left. Stacks nearly all restored moulded brick; fenestration restored. Good plasterwork in ceiling of dining room and a plaster cornice of grotesques in library plus some imported panelling from nearby house <2>
Murray claimed built in 1567 by Edward Acton <1a>

More appropriate context perhaps after 1587 when the Actons acquired the whole manor of Acton Scott <3>

House. C1580 with medieval vestiges, early C19 alterations and additions. Brick with ashlar dressings to windows, quoins, and moulded storey bands, lower ground storey of stone rubble. Plain-tile roofs with moulded ashlar coped gables with finials. Mullion and transom windows throughout all with lattice metal glazing bars, and straight dripmoulds over top-storey windows. 2 stepped large projecting stacks on each side, with one stack wider, with upper spurred shafts of restored moulded brick with oversailing continuous caps, with 4 shafts on the wider stacks and 2 shafts on the others. Square plan with 3 gables on each side with brick extension wing on the west side.
EXTERIOR: 4 storeys and 3 storeys to garden side. Entrance front (north) is a 4-storey, 3-window range of 3-light mullion and transom windows, the top-storey windows set wider on the elevation than those below, the lower ground-floor windows without transoms, the central windows on the lower 2 storeys now covered by a brick projecting entrance lobby extension with 3-light mullion window at mezzanine level and with front entrance door on the left return side. Garden front (south) : 3-storey, 3-window range with 2-storey canted projecting mullion and transom bay windows with hipped tiled roofs flanking central 3-light mullion and transom window over a 2-light mullion and transom window, 2-light mullion and transom windows at top storey. 2 ornamented lead spouts, hoppers and downpipes. To left of range is garden entrance set in brick extension; ashlar door surround with segmental pediment on pilasters with Acton Arms in tympanum of pediment.
West side: 4-storey, 3-window range of 2-light mullion and transom windows, 3-light mullion and transom at top level centre, the windows separated by the 2 large projecting stacks. Doorway through the left stack, the lower left window brick-blocked. 2-storey brick extension covering the lower 2 storeys to the right; brick extension with segmental arched windows.
East side: 4-storey, 3-window range of 3-light mullion and transom windows, now with single top-storey window to right and 3 windows to left. Doorway to central bay. Windows separated by the 2 large projecting stacks and the middle bay projecting forward between the stacks below the top storey. Ashlar segmental arched fireplace surround set in right stack from former 2-storey extension wing demolished mid-late C20.
INTERIOR: good plasterwork in ceiling of dining room with pomegranate and rose motifs. Plaster cornice ornamented with squirrels and grotesque heads in library plus some imported panelling from nearby house. Carved mantelpiece in drawing room inscribed 'S.A. 1641' . Late C18 staircase.
Greenhouse and stone rubble slate-roofed buildings form a service courtyard which abuts the brick extension on the west side.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: pair of gatepiers frame iron gate with railings running 25 metres to third pier, all of which abut the service buildings and encloses west side of garden; piers of brick with moulded ashlar bases, quoins, corniced caps surmounted by vases (cf Gateway 5 metres east of Churchyard) . <8>

Detailed description. <9>

Photographed during aerial photographic survey in 2007-2008. <10>-<16>

Basement, ground floor and first floor plans, N elevation, section.<19>

<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 00169 (Card index). SSA20722.

<01a> Murray, 1897, A Handbook of Shropshire and Cheshire, p14 (Monograph). SSA871.

<01> Ordnance Survey, 1976, Ordnance Survey Record Card SO48NE2 (Card index). SSA874.

<02> Department of the Environment (DoE), 1974-Mar-15, 2nd List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p2, 11/2 (List of Buildings). SSA805.

<03> Burrow Ian, 1976, Notes (TEXT). SSA873.

<04> Burrow Ian, 1976, Visit Notes, 1976 (Site visit report). SSA876.

<05> Pevsner Nikolaus, 1958, Buildings of England (Shropshire), p52 (Monograph). SSA110.

<06> Forrest H E, 1914/15, The Old Houses of Wenlock, p57-58 (Monograph). SSA872.

<07> Anon, 1976, View of Ha-Ha (Photograph). SSA875.

<08> Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), 2000-Feb-29, 18th List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p1-2. (List of Buildings). SSA20080.

<09> Newman J & Pevsner N, 2006, Buildings of England: Shropshire, p96 (Monograph). SSA23518.

<10> Shropshire Council, 2007-Sep-7, SA0708_140 to SA0708_143 (4 photos) Flight: 07_SA_08 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA26941.

<11> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jun-8, SA0804_006 to SA0804_010 (5 photos) Flight: 08_SA_04 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25725.

<12> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jun-8, SA0804_002 to SA0804_005 (4 photos) Flight: 08_SA_04 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25724.

<13> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jan-30, SA0802_060 (1 photo) Flight: 08_SA_02 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25447.

<14> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jan-30, SA0802_002 (1 photo) Flight: 08_SA_02 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25240.

<15> Shropshire Council, 2007-Sep-7, SA0708_057 (1 photo) Flight: 07_SA_08 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25071.

<16> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jan-30, SA0802_052 to SA0802_056 and SA0802_059 (6 photos) Flight: 08_SA_02 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA26958.

<17> Musson Chris R, 1999-Jul-26, CPAT 99/C/0665 to 99/C/0669 (5 Photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA27652.

<18> Musson Chris R, 1999-Jul-26, CPAT 99/C/0670 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA27653.

<19> Mercer Eric, 2003, English Architecture to 1900: The Shropshire Experience, pp.148, 149 (Monograph). SSA23161.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.