HERITAGE STATEMENT In respect of: Alterations to lower ground floor NUNTON HOUSE, NUNTON, SALISBURY, SP5 4HP On behalf of: Mr A Gribben February 2015 ELAINE MILTON HERITAGE & PLANNING t: 07979 942042 e: [email protected] w: www.emhp.co.uk Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................3 2.0 HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS .....................................................................3 3.0 DESCRIPTION .................................................................................4 4.0 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................10 5.0 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................11 6.0 ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................11 7.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSALS ........................................................12 8.0 POLICY CONTEXT ................................................................................13 9.0 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT ........................................................14 10.0 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................16 SOURCES USED IN THE REPORT ........................................................16 APPENDIX 1: English Heritage Listing description for Nunton House and the orangery at Nunton House APPENDIX 2: Proposed lower ground floor plan approved in 2006 LIST OF FIGURES Fig.1: The front (south elevation) of Nunton House Fig.2: The east end of the front elevation (east return screened by yew hedge) Fig.3: The window at the southern end of the east elevation on the lower ground floor Fig.4: The kitchen/family room on the lower ground floor Fig.5: Door to studio as seen from the lobby to the north Fig.6: Door to the studio as seen from the studio side Fig.7: The L-hinge on the boarded side of the studio door 1 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton Fig.8: The east wall of the studio Fig.9: The bottom of the east studio window as seen externally Fig.10: The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the kitchen side Fig.11: The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the studio side Fig.12: Approximate design of the proposed half-glazed doors COPYRIGHT: The contents of this statement must not be copied or replicated in part or in whole without the express written consent of Elaine Milton Heritage & Planning 2 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This heritage statement accompanies an application for listed building consent for alterations to the lower ground floor of Nunton House. 1.2 Nunton is a small village and former civil parish in south Wiltshire, approximately 4 miles south of Salisbury. Nunton House is located at the east end of the village opposite St Andrew’s Church. 1.3 The report describes the heritage significance of Nunton House and provides an assessment of the impact of the current proposals in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (the NPPF, March 2012) and in order to meet the council’s local validation checklist for applications affecting listed buildings and conservation areas. A site surveys was carried out on 11 December 2014. 1.4 Information on the history of the site has been drawn from a number of sources including the Victoria County History volume for Wiltshire. A list of the sources used in the preparation of the report is presented on p16. 2.0 Heritage Designations 2.1 Nunton House was added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest at Grade II* on 23 March 1960 and is therefore deemed by English Heritage to be a heritage asset of particular importance and more than special interest. The listing description for the house notes its group value. This is presented in Appendix 1. 2.2 The orangery in the gardens to the east of Nunton House was listed at Grade II on 28 March 1985 and is therefore deemed by English Heritage to be a heritage asset of national importance and of special interest. The listing description for the orangery notes its group value. This is also presented in Appendix 1. 2.3 Nunton House is not within a designated conservation area. 3.0 Description of the Building 3.1 Nunton House is located on the east side of the lane. It is linked to the north by a two-storey service range with Lower Nunton Farmhouse. The garden to the house is 3 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton bounded on the west and south sides by red brick boundary walls. Access is currently provided via a curved driveway entrance flanked by brick piers with stone ball finials within the west wall. This leads into a gravel parking and turning area with squared edges in front of the house. There is a redundant field gate within the south boundary wall. 3.2 The house is two-storey plus basement (lower ground floor) and attic. It is constructed in red brick and is of seven bays with a three-bay projecting centre having an ashlar pediment on giant pilasters. Windows are sliding sashes with rubbed and gauged brick arches and stone keystones. The walls are terminated by a moulded cornice and parapet. The roof is covered in plain clay tiles and has coped verges and end chimney stacks. Fig.1 The front (south elevation) of Nunton House 3.3 The lower ground floor has six two-light casements on the front elevation with subdividing glazing bars. 3.4 The lower ground level of the east wall is screened by a yew hedge. It contains a two- light casement with a segmental brick arch at its southern end, each casement being subdivided by glazing bars into six panes. The window itself is modern, with exposed butt hinges and with trickle vents within the top of the frame. Below the window there are vertical lines in the brickwork indicating a former door opening. 4 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton Fig.2 The east end of the front elevation (east return screened by yew hedge) Vertical break lines in the brickwork Fig.3 The window at the southern end of the east elevation on the lower ground floor 3.5 The interior of the upper floors of the house contains a number of original fittings, including newel stairs with turned balusters, Regency fireplace surrounds, fielded panelling, moulded ceiling cornices and panelled doors with eared architraves. The rooms are generous in size. 5 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton 3.6 By comparison with the upper floors, the lower ground floor is plainly decorated and the rooms are generally smaller. There are a few original features, including some chamfered ceiling beams with concave stops and one or two original four-panelled doors with L-hinges. There is a quarter-turn staircase at the north side connecting the lower ground to the ground floor. Most of the walls are plastered, although there is some painted tongue-and-groove timber cladding within the kitchen/family room. The ceilings comprise suspended plasterboard incorporating down-lights. 3.7 The kitchen/family room occupies the westernmost four bays on the south side of the lower ground. There is a downstand beam spanning midway across the middle of the ceiling where a wall has been removed. Fig.4 The kitchen/family room on the lower ground floor 3.8 The studio occupies the two easternmost bays on the south side of the lower ground. It is accessed from a lobby to the north via a modern four-panelled door within a modern doorframe. The door has been boarded over on the studio side: there are L-hinges on this side. 6 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton Fig.5 Door to studio as seen from the lobby to the north Fig.6 Door to the studio as seen from the studio side 7 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton Fig.7 The L-hinge on the boarded side of the studio door 3.9 There is a chimney breast on the east wall of the studio, the fireplace within which is blocked and plastered over. Chimney breast with blocked fireplace Fig.8 The east wall of the studio 3.10 To the right of the chimney breast is the modern two-light casement described in 3.4 above. 8 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton 3.11 The ground level outside is at a higher level than inside. Fig.9 The bottom of the east studio window as seen externally – note the relatively small amount of brickwork below the window and the vertical break-lines in the brickwork 3.12 The wall between the studio and the kitchen/family room is a solid masonry wall, which is plastered on both sides. There is an indent on the studio side of the wall acting as shelf space. Fig.10 The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the kitchen side 9 Heritage Statement – Nunton House, Nunton Indent in wall used for storage Fig.11 The wall between the kitchen/family room and the studio from the studio side 4.0 Historic Development 4.1 Jonathan Clarke, who died in 1701, is described in his monument in St Andrew’s Church as ‘of Nunton House’. This is probably the predecessor of the present Nunton House, which dates from c.1720. 4.2 Clarkes’ daughter, Martha, married William Batt in 1715. He considerably enlarged the estate and his family occupied Nunton House until the 18th century when it was replaced by New Hall, Bodenham as the principal residence. 4.3 A short back wing on the north side joined the house to Lower Nunton Farmhouse in the 18th or early 19th century. 4.4 The house passed with the estate until 1921, when it was sold. 4.5 Listed building consent was granted in 2006 for alterations to the house, including works to the lower ground floor (local planning authority reference S/2006/1451). The approved works included the removal of part of the east-west wall to the south of the stairs and a north-south wall between the second and third windows from the west to create the family/kitchen room.