Properties for Sale Page 3

October 2005 Piercefield, Gwent, Soane's Forgotten Masterpiece

Now known to be designed by Sir John Soane, Piercefield in Gwent could once again be the most glorious family home.

The sale of the romantic ruins of one of Sir John Soane's least known country houses, Grade II* listed Piercefield at Chepstow, Gwent, provides a unique opportunity to recreate a classic country estate on the banks of the Wye, in a setting described as 'one of the most outstanding, Picturesque and sublime landscapes of 18th century Britain'. Jackson-Stops & Staff (020–7664 6646) quote a guide price of £2 million for the ruined mansion, with outbuildings and 129 acres of parkland on the edge of Chepstow racecourse. There is also now detailed planning and listed building consent to restore the house and its ancillary buildings in line with Soane's original design.

For more than 400 years, from 1306 until 1727, Piercefield was owned by the Walter family of Monmouthshire, and remnants of their Tudor house are incorporated in the rear of the present building. In 1740, the 300 acre estate was sold to Col Valentine Morris, a sugar planter from Antigua, whose son (also called Valentine) inherited on his father's death in 1743. Morris spent vast sums of money embellishing and landscaping the grounds at Piercefield. The park has been attributed to Capability Brown, but was more probably laid out by Richard Owen, with help from William Knowles, who had worked for the Duke of Beaufort at nearby Tintern Abbey. Morris entertained lavishly at Piercefield, maintaining his links with the West Indies until his fortune ran out, and, in the early 1780s, the estate was sold to George Smith for £26,700.

Smith commissioned Sir John Soane to produce drawings for a complete redesign of Piercefield, and between 1785 and 1790, Soane came up with proposals for a number of elaborate schemes. Eventually, Smith decided on a less radical treatment, and the result was a virtual replica of Shotesham Park, Norfolk, which Soane had then just completed. Between 1792 and 1793, Soane produced a steady stream of plans: a set of 17 drawings prepared in February, 1793, included sections for the hall, eating room, drawing room and east and west parlours. Soane charged a total of £166 for his work at Piercefield, in addition to which he lent his client £3,000. But later that year, work was halted when Smith's banking enterprise failed, and Piercefield was sold to Sir Mark Wood.

Wood completed the work on the interior and added the delightful Bathstone pavilions reputedly designed by Joseph Bonomi, but possibly inspired by Soane. In 1801, Nathaniel Wells, the son of a sugar planter from St Kitts, visited Piercefield and subsequently bought the estate. A letter from Wells's great grandson (Country Life, April 6, 1956) accompanied by a picture of the house as rebuilt by Soane relates how the deal was concluded over dinner 'after which the host and his guest changed places, and the new owner then invited his former host to take port'. Nathaniel Wells died in 1851, and Piercefield was eventually sold to the Clay family, who owned it until 1921. In 1925, Piercefield Park was bought by the Chepstow Racecourse Company and a new course opened in August 1926. The company had no need of a country house, and the disintegration of Sir John Soane's masterpiece soon followed, as time, the elements, and the attentions of the US military (who used the house for target practice during the Second World War), took their toll. But the stout outer walls were left standing.

Various attempts were made to find an alternative use for the crumbling mansion, but they all fizzled out until three years ago, when Northern Racing Plc, the current owners, commissioned the architects Davies Sutton of Cardiff, to draw up plans for reinstating Piercefield as a private family house. Michael Davies' inspirational restoration proposals are based on a detailed study of Soane's designs. They provide for the recreation of the grand formal reception rooms around the original cantilever staircase, with the addition of a series of informal family rooms, a large country house kitchen, eight or nine first floor bedrooms and a third, attic, floor with a variety of options.

The costs would be substantial: anything from £5m to £10m, if you include the restoration of the 18th century pavilions, stableyard and coach houses.

Hengrave Hall - An Exceptional Grade I Tudor mansion in a fine parkland setting.

Hengrave Hall lies in the heart of the village of Hengrave, three miles north of Bury St Edmunds, and occupies a commanding but private position to the west of the village set within about 47.73 acres of land.

History:

Hengrave Hall was built by John Eastawe for Sir Thomas Kytson, a wealthy wool merchant and Sheriff of London. The building project commenced in 1525 and was finished in 1538. The house is built partly of stone and partly of brick; much of the stone is thought to have come from some of the neighbouring abbeys during the Dissolution. The house had been far larger than it is today. In 1775 the Hall was reduced in size by the demolition of what was known as the de Hemegrave wing.

An immense amount of building activity was taking place throughout England in the 1520’s. The great architecture of medieval England was to be found in its castles and cathedrals across the country. The 1450’s saw the introduction of brick into English domestic architecture, but it was the Tudors who popularised its use and who introduced a new style in architecture – that of the undefended great country house or palace. Hengrave Hall was one of the first of these huge new houses. East of Hengrave Hall is the Anglo-Saxon church. Despite the fifteenth century embellishments, the round tower betrays its Saxon origins. The church is dedicated to Saint John Lateran. The grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Kytson, who built Hengrave, inherited the estate and on her marriage it passed into the hands of the Gage family, where it would remain for nine generations. Interestingly the Gage family is famous for giving their name to the greengage fruit which was developed in the grounds of the hall. Of more historical interest is the fact that the Kytson and Gage families militantly refused to attend Church of England services. They maintained their Catholic faith and identity throughout the penal period and they were powerful enough to face off the penalties that came with such a position. This was quite an unusual stance for a family to take in East Anglia at the time.
The son of the first Sir Thomas was powerful enough to have entertained Queen Elizabeth at the Hall in 1578, despite his Catholic faith. It is said that she tried to argue him into Protestantism but in return he simply presented her with a beautiful jewel. John Wilbye the madrigalist wrote and performed here.

In early 1896 Sir John Wood acquired and restored the house to much of its ancient splendour including a restoration of the banqueting hall, chapel and the long gallery. He also built the annex to replace the wing that had been demolished in 1775; this annex served as a hospital during the First World War.

In 1952 Hengrave Hall became the property of The Religious of the Assumption - sisters who turned the house into a boarding school for girls. The school was closed in 1974 and the Hall was converted into an ecumenical retreat and conference centre; it was run by a Community consisting of the Sisters and married and single men and women of different Christian denominations who shared a life of prayer and work.

The Principal House:

A listed Grade I building of great architectural and historic importance, Hengrave Hall is constructed of buff-coloured brick and lime stone ashlar walls beneath clay pantile roofs. The originally symmetrical southern front was altered in 1775 but still has a late Perpendicular central and richly decorated trefoiled oriel window with Renaissance detail. Flanking the gateway are two octagonal turrrets with crocket-ornamented onion finials.

Ground Floor:

On the ground floor the house is arranged around a fine small stone flagged courtyard with central well head and the fine Oriel window. The Great Banqueting Hall is described in the listing as having a splayed stone mullioned and transomed oriel with carved figure finials and stone roof with fan-vaulted soffit and traceried panelled rear arch; good heraldic glass." Also of note is the oak "hammer beam" roof, the carved screen and the minstrels gallery. There is a large open fireplace in the north wall. The Chapel (also known as the Oratory) has beautiful sixteenth century windows with painted glass, of Flemish origin. The stained glass depicts biblical scenes from the creation to the Last Judgment and has been described as being "an almost perfect example of this period as can be found in the country." The Long Gallery is located on the west side of the house with fine timber panelling dated c.1900 with strap work plaster ceilings and two fine fire places. Dining Room: large limestone fireplace c.1600 in the Renaissance style with Ionic pilasters and pediment framing a painted coat of arms above. On the chimney breast there is further fresco work with strap work and mermaids all supporting a coat of arms.

First Floor:

Most bedrooms are arranged around the courtyard enjoying views across the formal gardens and grounds to the countryside beyond. Only one bedroom, the Court Chamber looks into the courtyard. Queen Elizabeth’s Chamber situated in the north west corner of the Hall on the first floor enjoys double aspect windows with oak panelling and with a fine open fireplace. The ceiling is heavily moulded with Tudor Roses, fleurs de lis and the initials "ER". Oriel Chamber: this room over the entrance has panelled walls containing a portrait believed to have been presented by James II It is located above the central gateway and between the octagonal turrets looking south to the moat bridge and gates of the former carriage drive. Rose Chamber: Open fire place with four cornered arch and wall paper of particular note, with WC and basin in turret alcove. Blue Chamber: a double aspect room with high ceiling and wall paper thought to be from the school of William Morris. John Wilbye’s Chamber: Faces east towards to the church and is believed to be the bedroom of the famous Madrigalist where he wrote many of his works. Wilbye was taken to Hengrave Hall by Elizabeth Cornwallis, Lady Kytson when she married Sir Thomas, to provide music and he spent the rest of his life doing so. Court Chamber: The only bedroom to face out into the courtyard with fire place and an unusual pyramidal ceiling.

The Grounds:

Formal gardens and informal grounds provide a charming setting to Hengrave Hall with sweeping lawns and meadows with pleached limes that run south to the old outer moat. To the west is a formal garden with an attractive lily pond and central statue set amongst gravel paths and well stocked beds. The attractive water feature effectively quarters the west garden with sections of lawn interspersed with Yew Trees. An elegant set of steps are found at the Western end of the garden. The Garden Room (known as the Summer House) c.1900, close to the hall is single storey timber framed structure with brick-nogging under a clay pantiled roof. It is listed Grade II and has oak joinery which is in an identical style to the earlier sixteenth century work in the hall. Inside is a wood burning stove. The north garden comprises an expansive lawn and is flanked on either side by the Greengage block and St Catherine’s Cottage. It is interspersed with mature trees; there are greenhouses at the foot of this garden. In the east garden is the Anglo-Saxon Church, beyond which is the walled garden which is mostly laid to lawn and interspersed with fruiting and espaliered fruit trees. Next to this is the productive vegetable garden.

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