Details
NINEHEAD CP
ST12SW NINEHEAD VILLAGE
4/72 Nynehead Court and wall adjoining
on north side of forecourt
25.1.56
GV II*
Country house, now residential home for the elderly. Late medieval in origin, rebuilding
and enlargement dated 1675,extended west late C18, north-east kitchen wing raised
to 2 storeys, south-east wing raised to 3 and south range reroofed earli-mid C19,
entrance resited on east front, internal alterations and redecoration mid- late C20.
Rendergrooved as ashlar over rubble exposed in service range, dado, flat string band,
dentil cornice to C17 hipped slate roofs, moulded cornices to similar C19 roofs, brick
stack to right of entrance, two C19 stacks on south front, 2 tall stacks in north-east
corner with bell said to be dated 1747. Courtyard plan; possibly open hall house lying
north-south with detached kitchen to north, porch added west front, west wall built out
flush with porch, lower end rebuilt and extended north linking single storey kitchen
wing, south-east stair wing added, hall ceiled, dining room inserted on south side,
drawing roof added to west and subsequently linked to range of service buildings
on west front; now entered in east front with garden wall (qv) abutting south-east
corner and wall incorporating remains of garden structure abutting north-east.
East front: 2 storeys plus attic centre, 2-storey kitchen wing set at an angle right
and 3-storey stair case wing projecting left, 3:1:4:1 bays, 3 gabled dormers with
C20 casements, one above entrance, 2 to right,left moulded arch head sash windows
with keystones, inserted stair light window (partially blocked rising through 2 lower
storeys right and cutting string course, evidence of 2 blocked windows in re-entrant
angle, entrance bay slightly recessed with late C17 ovolo moulded Venetian style window
with carved keystone, right 12-pine sash windows in moulded surrounds with keystones,
ground floor window right blocked, ground floor window in re-entrannt angle also blocked
and in end hay basked by archway and wall. Entrance panelled battened door of uncertain
date, moulded arch head inner doorway with half-glazed door. Garden front of 3;4 bays,
2 storeys left,3 right under same roof, second floor right 2 light casements, otherwise
12-pane sashes; abutting left single storey C20 glazed infill linking gable end of
single storey red sandstone random rubble range with segmental headed window, rectangular
opening in gable end. Red brick wall on north side of forecourt with nesting boxes on
rear elevation. Interior much altered. Ogee headed niche in west wall of porch
(now nurses dining room) with chamfered 4-centred arch head outer doorway and arched
inner doorway on west side of hall, north side segmental headed pediment with keystone
inscribed "E S(andford) E 1675" with broken segmental pediment on rear elevation,
chamfered beams with step and runout stops in kitchen wing, roof on east front with early
C18 panelling,turned balusters with moulded handrail to dogleg stair; the upper floor
rooms have been subdivided with carved overmantel dated 1633 above dining room
suggesting date that hall ceiled (although this carving may be C19) and plasterwork
wreath; drawing room with fine white marble chimney piece c1760 with dancing figures,
number of early C19 doors in situ. This was the home of the Wyke family in the Middle
Ages and was purchased from them by Martin Sandford in 1590.His descendants held the
property until the 1920s and both families made many contributions to the church of
All Saints (qv) to the south-east. The house became a residential home for the elderly in
1949,(Whittaker, Notes on the History of Nynehead Court, 1979 VA6 Report,
unpublished SRO, June 1980).
Listing NGR: ST1374122740
