Northborough Manor House

Description

Built 1330-40 by the de-la-Mare family. The Manor was sold to James Claypole in 1565. His son who succeeded him was knighted and died in 1630. It retained in the Claypole family until it was sold in 1681 to Lord Fitzwilliam. Reputedly visited by Oliver Cromwell whose daughter Elizabeth married John Claypole. A hall and gatehouse survive from what must have been a medieval manor house, with early C17 alterations. Built of coursed stone rubble with freestone dressings and with steeply pitched Collyweston stone roofs with gabled ends. The west gable of the hall has coping with leaf crockets and hexagonal base of pinnacle or chimney shafts at the apex. The north front has 2 tall 2-light windows with straight heads and blocked reticulated tracery and buttress between. Large C17 gabled semi-dormer above with mullion windows. To the right is an early C16 2 storeyed gabled porch with moulded arch, and original doorway behind with filleted roll moulding. Through the screens passage to similar back doorway. Some partly blocked reticulated tracery windows at the rear with buttress between and 3 C17 gabled semi-dormers above. To the west, is a 2 storeyed cross wing gabled at north front with crocketed finial and mullion transom windows, and a hipped roof to south with small gablet, and large chimney stack on west side. To the north-east is a C17 2 storey and attic wing with asymmetrical gable. Interior, though the screen is missing, there are 3 doorways from the screens passage to the former buttery, kitchen and pantry, with crocketed ogee heads within ogee gables. The traceried heads to the windows were blocked when the hall was floored in the C17. Stairs in hall with shaped slat balusters, and with heavy moulded balusters to top stage. The hall has braced collar rafter roof with ashlaring. (Listed Building Report)

The gatehouse had neither portcullis nor drawbridge, but, such as it was, it was relied on, together with the surrounding walls and buildings to protect the house. Bridges speaks of the 'noble gatehouse with spacious stone arches and mouldings, and chambers over it'. The chambers and vaulting are gone, but the circular stairs remain, leading to a delapidated loft. He also mentions stone stairs in the house, and a window 'at the E end, now almost filled up, where probably was formerly a chapel', but there is now nothing by which this part of the building can be identified. Built in 1330 - 1340 by the de-la-Mare family. The gatehouse and hall is all that survives from a major manor house. The gatehouse has a slightly lower roof line and has large moulded and chamfered arch through. Inside there is a narrow bay, formerly rib vaulted, separated from the larger rib vaulted S bay by a cross wall with an arched carriageway and a pedestrian way. Northborough Manor was built by Roger de Northburgh, Bishop of Lichfield, in 1335. The house had a great hall with separate private apartments at one end, an imposing gatehouse and various other buildings. It was originally intended to be larger, but Roger had difficulties with the builders. A stone gatehouse of the same period as the manor house (early C14), to which a range of C17 buildings have been added (not scheduled). The carriageway of the gatehoue is in two sections a section by a vertical wall, pierced by cat and mouse doorways also with pointed arches. A further large pointed arch gives access to the courtyard. Both sections have had quadripartite vaults, but only the springings remain. The E section of the gatehouse contains a small porter's room and a circular stair leading originally to a room above this, but, since the removal of the vaulting, to a loft running the whole width of the gatehouse. Stonework in reasonable condition, some repair work evident, but this does not seem to be of a recent date. String course on NW side is damaged. Roofing slates are in poor condition, covered in moss and slipping badly in some areas. (City of Peterborough HER)