Listed Building record MDO11076 - Berwick, Swyre

Fortified manor house, built in the 16th century. It was extensively altered and rebuilt in the early 19th century with only the north wing showing signs of late 16th century fabric. Originally quadrangular, it is now L-shaped in plan. Built of stone rubble with slate roofs.Two storeys with attics. Rubble walls and slate and stone slate roof. Built apparently on a quadrangular plan, but now much reduced in size.

Berwick was a manor and the property of the family of De La Torr from the time of ED I until the late 15th c when it passed to the Trenchards, one of whom was vending at Berwick in 1506, and the Russells. After 1600 the Farm was generally leased out. The house, large and ancient, fronts 72ft every way; with a small quadrangle in the middle. On the N. is a small court, to the W. of which is the principal entrance of a large gateway. On the E. and W. sides are old windows which project beyond the walls; formerly there were no windows in the lower part. On the N. and E. are two turrets projecting six or eight feet beyond the walls; in which are holes for arrows or guns. It seems designed as a place of some strength. The Greys of Askerswell resided here in the reign of Elizabeth. <1>

Sir John Russell, ancestor of the Duke of Bedford, owned and resided at Berwick in and before 1506. <3>

Built early in the 16th c., and formerly of some importance in a survey of 1583 described as quadrangular, but has been much reduced and altered in modern times, and is now of L-shaped plan. The N wing has original features, but the E wing has none. <4>

The house and farm buildings are known as Berwick and are part of the Duke of Bedfords Estates. The N. wing is the only part of the house of visible antiquity <5.1>. The N. wing has stone walls, and a roof of stone slates, and modern slate. The windows are modern except for one wide based pointed porch window frame of stone. Two similar arches, apparently blocked doorways, since they spring from ground level, exist in the W. wall of this wing. The rest of the house appears to be modern. All is in good condition. <5>

Fortified manor house, built in the 16th century. It was extensively altered and rebuilt in the early 19th century with only the north wing showing signs of late 16th century fabric. Originally quadrangular, it is now L-shaped in plan. Built of stone rubble with slate roofs. <7>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 52338959) Berwick formerly Manor House (NR)

<3> Heath, S, and Prideaux, W, 1907, Some Dorset Manor Houses, 219 (Monograph). SDO17596.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 230 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(2) BERWICK, house on the S. side of the road 1,560 yards N.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are covered with slates and stone slates. The house was built early in the 16th century and is now of L-shaped plan. It was formerly of some importance, in a survey of 1583 it is described as a quadrangle, but has been reduced in size and drastically altered in modern times. The N. wing comprises the original Hall, now a kitchen, and screens-passage; two doorways in the W. end wall survive in situ but the office-wing has been demolished; the E. wing has no old features. In the N. wall of the N. wing is an original doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head opening into the screens-passage; it is now converted into a window. The similar doowrway in the opposite wall is partly concealed by a 19th-century stair, it retains an original hinge-pon in the rebate. The two doorways between the screens of the hall and the fomer office-wing have chamfered jambs and four-centred heads; both are blocked. A modern partition takes the place of the screen. In the kitchen is some re-used 17th-century panelling. The two chimney-stacks may be old. The cider-store, occupying the position of the office-wing, was built probably in the 19th century'.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 22-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5.1> Bryant, Mrs T C, Oral: Mrs T C Bryant (occupier), Berwick, Swyre (Verbal communication). SDO19728.

<6> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 52338985) Berwick and remains of (NAT) Manor House (NR)

<7> Department of the Environment, 1984, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset (Parishes of Askerswell, Bothenhampton, Bradpole, Burton Bradstock, Chilcombe, Litton Cheney, Loders, Puncknowle, Shipton Gorge and Swyre) (Scheduling record). SDO16360.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450485 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 12 2023 11:29AM