Listed Building record MDO26944 - Manor House and Stables, Portesham

Detached Manor House. Mid C17 with C19 extension at rear. Dressed stone walls and chamfered plinth. Continuous string-course raised over front door. Slate roofs with stone gable-copings with ovolo-moulded kneelers

The manor of Portesham was held by the church of Abbotsbury at the time of Domesday; after the dissolution the lands and "a capital mansion" were granted to William Paulet, and later to the Marquis of Winchester, and at some time the Trenchards. In the 17th c. Sir Andrew Riccard purchased the manor. <1>

"The house in called Manor House, Portesham. I know nothing of its history" <3.1>.

The house is of stone, with brick chimneys and a slate roof. The North front which contains the entrance is in original condition, with mullioned windows on the two storeys and a stone arched doorway. On each side of the doorway is a small stone framed recess, each of which is now blocked. The East side of the house is featureless, and the West side is joined to later outbuildings. The South front has been rebuilt or much modernised, with modern windows of plain and bay type. The building appears to be of 17th century date with later alterations. <3>

Portesham Manor is of two storeys and attics with walls of squared coursed rubble and roof covered with slate with stone slates at the verges. The house is of the early 17th century; it has been heightened and additions have been made to the back. The original building consists of a long straight range with stone-mullioned windows with a continuous string-course over the ground-floor windows and eared labels over those on the first floor. The entrance doorway, near the middle of the front elevation, has moulded jambs and a four-centred head and is flanked by inches of the same shape. The interior has been rearranged but contains some original pannelling. <4>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 757-8 (Monograph). SWX1269.

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

(SY 60148584) Manor House (NR)

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 17-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3.1> Godwin, F M, Oral: Mrs F M Godwin (owner and occupier), Manor House, Portesham (Verbal communication). SDO20356.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 243 (Monograph). SDO149.

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F113/4 (Index). SDO14738.

MANOR HOUSE AT PORTESHAM FROM THE NORTH WEST

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452387 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 14 2023 10:15AM