Listed Building record MDO9243 - Waterston Manor, Puddletown

An early 17th century country house of two storeys, rebuilt in 1864 following a fire. Little of the original plan or building survives. The house was also remodelled after 1911.

Waterston House, a two-storeyed building with attics composed of ashlar, coursed rubble, diapered brickwork and rough-cast rendering was probably built in the second quarter of the 17th century. In 1863 the house was severely damaged by fire and rebuilt; only the south front and part of the east front of the 17th century structure survived and there is little evidence of the original plan. Further alterations were made in the present century and the gardens were re-designed. A gabled bay in the east front has an elaborate classical stone frontpiece with figure sculptures, dated 1586; it has been reset in this position and in character is dissociated from any other feature of the present house. <2>

Waterston Manor, a 17th century manor house reconstructed in 1864 (after the fire of 1863) and remodelled after 1911. <3>

SY 73539519. Waterston Manor (name confirmed) remains as described above, in good preservation, (see ground photographs). <4>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 73479516) Waterston House (NR)

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 226-7 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(3) WATERSTON HOUSE (73509514), about 1½ m. W.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. The walls are of ashlar, coursed rubble, diapered brickwork, and rough-cast rendering; the dressings are of Ham Hill stone; the roofs are tiled, with stone-slate verges. The house was built probably in the second quarter of the 17th century, during the ownership of the Earl of Suffolk, to whom the property had passed early in the century; he sold it in 1641 to Sir John Strangways. In 1863 the house was severely damaged by fire and rebuilt. Of the 17th-century house only the S. front and part of the E. front remain; little evidence is left of the original plan. Further alterations were made in the present century and the gardens were redesigned by Morley Horder. A gabled bay in the E. front has an elaborate wrought stone frontispiece with figuresculptures, dated 1586; it has been reset in this position and in character is dissociated from any other feature of the present house.
The S. front (Plate 52) up to first-floor level is of brickwork with a diaper pattern in dark headers, above it is faced with rough-cast; the level of the first floor is marked by a terra-cotta string-course with 'nail-head' ornament; the rusticated quoins are of brick and the other dressings are of Ham Hill stone. The elevation is symmetrical and comprises three tall bays finishing in gables with continuous moulded copings and shaft finials; between the gables and on either side are small round-headed rainwater outlets with fluted soffits, through which the tiled roof verges continue, to finish in overhanging eaves. The middle bay has a projecting rectangular porch on the ground floor, and a half round turret in the first and attic storeys. The porch (Plate 136) has a round-headed archway with a moulded architrave and imposts; the soffit, key-block and jambs are ornamented with 'jewels'. The archway is flanked by free-standing Roman-Doric columns on pedestals enriched with strapwork, which support an entablature with a jewelled frieze. Above the entablature the bay becomes half-round in plan and is faced, up to first-floor level, with a chequer-work of brick and ashlar blocks; two of the blocks have pierced frets. On the first floor the half-round bay contains a seven-light window with square-headed openings and square stone mullions with carved enrichment on the face; the lintel is treated as an enriched frieze with a continuous cornice above. At the top of the half-round bay is a balustraded parapet. The gable behind the balustrade has a small single-light window with a round head and a straight upper cornice supported on consoles; over this in the wall-face is a semicircular panel with radial fluting, and flanking the window are shell-headed niches. Within the porch, the entrance doorway has a round head on moulded imposts, and moulded jambs with large broach-stops; the oak plank door has wrought-iron strap-hinges and has been restored. Bordering the half-round centre bay of the S. front are rusticated quoins which, with angle-quoins at the corners of the façade, define each lateral bay of the elevation as a secondary symmetrical composition. In each of these, on the ground floor, is a restored two-light transomed stone window with square openings and with rusticated brick side-pilasters with moulded brick caps, the cap-mouldings being carried across the window-head. On the first floor is an original two-light transomed stone window with a pedimented entablature supported on shaped stone brackets; the frieze, flush with the wall-face, isolates the pediment, in the tympanum of which is a shell-headed panel; in the gable is a two-light stone window with a straight label supported on consoles, and a fluted shell above.
The E. front has a projecting gabled bay near the centre and another to the S., the latter being the end of the S. range; between these two bays the E. front has modern facing and has probably been almost entirely rebuilt; the range to the N. is wholly modern. The S. bay is rendered; it has rusticated quoins and a restored two-light mullioned and transomed stone window on the ground floor, another on the first floor, and a small two light window in the gable; in the parapet of the N. return wall is a round-headed rainwater outlet, as on the S. front. The centre bay has restored ashlar facing and in it is reset an elaborate symmetrical architectural composition of three stages carved in freestone (Plate 190). At the centre of the bottom stage is a restored round-headed doorway flanked by semicircular niches with shell heads, beyond which fluted Roman-Doric columns on pedestals support an enriched entablature. In the second stage Ionic columns on pedestals support a second enriched entablature; between them, in the centre and breaking through the entablature is a three-light window with mullions in the form of Ionic colonettes; these stand on a moulded and bracketed sill supported on pilasters. Flanking the window and somewhat lower down are round-headed panels with moulded and enriched architraves, moulded imposts, and jambs decorated with floriate studs. The panels frame figures carved in high relief; that on the N. wears plate armour, has his right hand on his chest and in the other hand holds a palm branch; that on the S. is similarly attired, is bearded, and holds a palm branch in his right hand and a staff in his left. The top stage is narrower than those below; at the centre is a shallow niche, with a surround generally similar to that of the second-stage panels, containing a figure of Justice on a gadrooned and fluted pedestal. On either side are slender Corinthian columns which support a pyramidal composition based on the divisions of an entablature; it comprises an architrave enriched with strapwork, a heightened frieze with curved ends supported by rampant lions and with a central bull's-eye window with an enriched surround, and a small pedimented cornice; a roundel flanked by orbs in the tympanum of the pediment is inscribed 1586. The whole bay is finished with a gable with a moulded coping, flanked by restored cylindrical stone chimney-stacks with moulded cappings. The return walls are of rubble and flint, that to the N. with two modern windows. All the brick chimneystacks in the house are modern. The W. front is entirely modern or refaced.
Inside, little remains that is original; one room on the ground floor retains a stone fireplace-surround with a shallow four-centred opening, gadrooned and tapered side-pilasters with Doric capitals, and a heavy entablature (Plate 75).
A number of architectural features, perhaps from the destroyed parts of the house, have been reused in the garden. They include four enriched round-headed archways, two in the modern walls flanking the S. front and two, with a stone column between, forming a loggia in the E. end of the gatehouse; also two pilasters in the form of grotesque terminal-figures with strapwork decoration, and a shell-headed niche with gadrooned and tapered side-pilasters.’

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 441-3 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 18-NOV-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24626 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Waterston Manor from the south-east. This print was accessioned by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments in England on 3rd December 1974.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454767 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 14 2023 2:52PM