Shotwick Hall
Encyclopedia
Shotwick Hall is a former manor house
in the village of Shotwick
, Cheshire, England. It replaced an earlier manor house that stood on a moat
ed site some 150 metres to the west. The hall and four associated structures are listed buildings, and the moated site is a Scheduled Monument.
as a Grade II* listed building.
quoins
, a Welsh slate
roof, and large brick chimneys. The house has an E-shaped plan with two storeys and attics. The front is symmetrical with five bays
. The lateral bays are wide and project forward; they have plain brick gable
s with finial
s. The central bay is much narrower and also projects forward, forming a two-storey porch. It has a stepped stone gable. Between the floors is a dentil
brick band. Above the upper floor windows is a band that rises over the windows to form a hood mould
. The windows date from the 20th century and have wooden mullion
s and transoms
. The window above the door has two lights; all the other windows on the front have three.
-style open well staircase. This has pierced flat baluster
s, moulded
handrails and square newel
s. Under the staircase the plaster ceiling has a moulded frieze
decorated with fleur-de-lis
and lions. In one of the rooms are the arms
of Shotwick quartered
with those of Hockenhull
and bearing the date 1662.
, piers at the corners, and intermediate piers. The corner and intermediate piers have moulded capstones
. The gate piers are taller and are surmounted by ball finials. The north wall is plain with a stone coping; the south wall has a ramp, buttress
es internally, and a gateway has been inserted. The walls and gate piers have been listed at Grade II*. Three structures nearby are listed at Grade II. Attached to the northeast corner of the hall is a brick two-storey building dating from the late 17th century, with later alterations. This was formerly a kitchen and bakehouse. To the north of the hall is a brick two-storey stable dating from the later part of the 17th century that is derelict and roofless. Further to the north is an L-shaped brick building dating from the early 18th and early 19th centuries consisting of a threshing
barn and shippons (cowsheds). Some 150 metres to the west of the hall is a moat
ed site formerly occupied by the earlier hall. It measures about 25 by 32 metres, and is raised by about 0.5 metres above the surrounding ground. The moat is about 10 metres wide and is partly silt
ed. The site has been designated as a Scheduled Monument.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in the village of Shotwick
Shotwick
Shotwick is a village and civil parish on the Wirral Peninsula in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England...
, Cheshire, England. It replaced an earlier manor house that stood on a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed site some 150 metres to the west. The hall and four associated structures are listed buildings, and the moated site is a Scheduled Monument.
History
The house was built in 1662 for Joseph Hockenhull, replacing an older fortified manor house. Internal alterations were made during the 20th century. The hall has been designated by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
Exterior
Shotwick Hall is a small house constructed in brick. It has red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
quoins
Quoin (architecture)
Quoins are the cornerstones of brick or stone walls. Quoins may be either structural or decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the impression of strength and firmness to the outline of a building...
, a Welsh slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof, and large brick chimneys. The house has an E-shaped plan with two storeys and attics. The front is symmetrical with five bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. The lateral bays are wide and project forward; they have plain brick gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s with finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s. The central bay is much narrower and also projects forward, forming a two-storey porch. It has a stepped stone gable. Between the floors is a dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
brick band. Above the upper floor windows is a band that rises over the windows to form a hood mould
Hood mould
In architecture, a hood mould, also called a label mould or dripstone, is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater...
. The windows date from the 20th century and have wooden mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
s and transoms
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
. The window above the door has two lights; all the other windows on the front have three.
Interior
The front door leads to a small hall with a JacobeanJacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
-style open well staircase. This has pierced flat baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s, moulded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
handrails and square newel
Newel
A newel, also called a central pole, is an upright post that supports the handrail of a stair banister. In stairs having straight flights it is the principal post at the foot of the staircase, but it can also be used for the intermediate posts on landings and at the top of a staircase...
s. Under the staircase the plaster ceiling has a moulded frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
decorated with fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
and lions. In one of the rooms are the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Shotwick quartered
Quartering (heraldry)
Quartering in heraldry is a method of joining several different coats of arms together in one shield by dividing the shield into equal parts and placing different coats of arms in each division....
with those of Hockenhull
Hockenhull
Hockenhull is a civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It has a population of 19.-External links:...
and bearing the date 1662.
Associated external features
In front of the house is a square garden surrounded by brick walls with red sandstone dressings. The front wall has a pair of central gate piersPier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
, piers at the corners, and intermediate piers. The corner and intermediate piers have moulded capstones
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
. The gate piers are taller and are surmounted by ball finials. The north wall is plain with a stone coping; the south wall has a ramp, buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es internally, and a gateway has been inserted. The walls and gate piers have been listed at Grade II*. Three structures nearby are listed at Grade II. Attached to the northeast corner of the hall is a brick two-storey building dating from the late 17th century, with later alterations. This was formerly a kitchen and bakehouse. To the north of the hall is a brick two-storey stable dating from the later part of the 17th century that is derelict and roofless. Further to the north is an L-shaped brick building dating from the early 18th and early 19th centuries consisting of a threshing
Threshing
Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. It is the step in grain preparation after harvesting and before winnowing, which separates the loosened chaff from the grain...
barn and shippons (cowsheds). Some 150 metres to the west of the hall is a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed site formerly occupied by the earlier hall. It measures about 25 by 32 metres, and is raised by about 0.5 metres above the surrounding ground. The moat is about 10 metres wide and is partly silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
ed. The site has been designated as a Scheduled Monument.