Barnston Manor
Listed building in Dorset
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barnston Manor is a 13th-century manor house and farm near Church Knowle in Dorset, England. The house is a Grade I listed building, and some farm buildings at the property are also Grade II listed.
| Barnston Manor | |
|---|---|
Barnston Manor in 2004 | |
 Interactive map of the Barnston Manor area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Manor house |
| Classification | Grade I |
| Location | Church Knowle, Dorset, England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50°38′0″N 2°5′57″W |
| Construction started | 13th century |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Stone |
History
Barnston Manor was built in the 13th century, around 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from Church Knowle in Dorset, England.[1][2] It is on the site of a former Saxon house, which may also have been preceded by a Roman house on the site.[3] Barnston Manor is believed to be one of the oldest houses in Dorset.[4] It has been owned by the same family for 700 years;[4] in the 16th century it was owned by local MP John Clavell, and in the 17th century it was lived in by his descendants, until they built Smedmore House.[3]
One chimney in the house is believed to have been added in the 15th century.[1] In the 16th century, Barnston Manor was expanded with the addition of a west wing,[1] as well as stone fireplaces.[2] Since the 16th century, there have been no major upgrades to the building.[1] The former hall in the east wing has been converted into a kitchen and a dairy.[1] The north wing was formerly a chantry chapel, and contains a memorial to the Clavell family.[3] It is believed that the house had a garderobe wing, but this no longer exists.[5] It is also believed to have had a gatehouse and enclosed courtyard until the 19th century.[6] Barnston Manor contains around 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) of land.[4]
Barnston Manor was later used as a farm;[1] a farm building[7] and two barns[8][9] on the estate are Grade II listed buildings.[4] In 1959, Barnston Manor became a Grade I listed building.[2] In 2018, the building was put up for sale for £1.5 million.[4]
Architecture
Barnston Manor is built in a T-shape.[1] It is built from rubble stone, with ashlar for the outside front walls, and a slate roof.[2] It is architecturally similar to Old Soar Manor in Kent.[10] The house contains a number of 13th century windows,[1][2] and the south wing is designed as to maximise light.[10] The east wing has a 16th-century stone fireplace, a stone spiral staircase, and 16th-century timbers in the roof.[2] The height of the hall was reduced in the 16th century.[10] The timbers in the west wing roof have been replaced, and the west wing walls are now covered in plaster.[1]