Blease Hall

Description

House. Probably c.1600 for Robert Bateman; masons probably the Gibson family who worked on Levens Hall. Slobbered rubble with quoins. Graduated slate roofs with moulded copings and kneelers. Originally Hall with cross-wings although north wing may have formed part of earlier building; south wing demolished early C19. 2 storeys with cellar and attics; 4 bays overall(1:1:1:1). Present main entrance through late C20 gabled porch adjoining south return. Garden elevation: North wing has part-glazed door with casement to left; 5-light 1st floor window, 4-light attic window, both mullioned and transomed under hoodmoulds with labels. Hall has central full-height bay with 8-light (1:3:3:1) king-mullioned and transomed window to each floor (blocked until 1985); 2-light mullioned window under hoodmould with labels to 1st floor left, remains of similar window to 1st floor right. Rear wall of hall rebuilt c.1830; rear of wing retains part-blocked cellar door with window to right, both with chamfered surrounds. Large projecting chimney to north end; stepped cylindrical mid chimney and south end chimney, all rendered. Interior: Hall entered by studded plank door in (reset?) chamfered surround with false 4-centred head. Large fireplace with moulded segmental arch opposite has panelled door in architrave to either side; left-hand door leads into former parlour with foliate plaster frieze, right-hand door leads to dog-leg oak stair with square newels, turned balusters (renewed 1985) and moulded handrail. 1st floor of hall retains remains of fine plaster ceiling with 9 ft diameter vine-scroll decoration, figures, frieze, and plaster moulding to beams. Wing has 3 braced trusses with carpenters' numbers. Main timbers throughout are stop-chamfered. At time of survey (June 1985) building is being refurbished to a high standard with plasterwork cleaned and repaired and panelling replaced. (Listed Building Report)

Blease Hall, house and barn, 1,260 yards W.N.W. of the church. The House (Plate 18) is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built c. 1600 probably by Roger Bateman, on an H-shaped plan with the crosswings at the N. and S. ends. The S. wing was pulled down in the 19th century and the panelling and woodwork have been removed in recent years. On the W. front, the main block has a large projecting bay-window with a six-light mullioned and transomed window in each storey, both largely blocked; the N. wing also retains its original windows, except on the ground floor; those above are of six and four transomed lights respectively. Most of the windows on the E. side have been altered, but some original windows remain at the N. end. Inside the building are some exposed ceiling-beams. The main room has an original doorway in the S. wall with moulded jambs and flat four-centred head; the nail-studded door has strap-hinges, scutcheon and knocker; in the N. wall is a doorway with a moulded head and a second with a moulded surround; both have 17th-century panelled doors. The W. room in the cross-wing has an original modelled plaster frieze divided into bays by small figures, but thickly coated with whitewash. On the first floor the main room has remains of an original plaster ceiling (Plate 49) of elaborate design; the decoration consists of large spirals of vine-ornament with smaller spirals in the spandrels; on the N. wall is a plaster frieze (Plate 50) of similar ornament with human heads or busts at intervals. There are also some panelled 17th-century doors.
There was a small courtyard on the W. of the house with remains of a double gateway on the W. side; only one jamb of the main gateway survives, but the postern is complete and has moulded jambs and semielliptical head. The Barn, S.W. of the house, is of stone and of two storeys; it is probably of 17th-century date.
Condition—Structurally good, but rather neglected. (RCHME)

Comments

Gentry status manor house. Included by Perriam and Robinson in their gazetteer of medieval fortified buildings but there is no actually evidence the house was fortified either with a moat or a tower. Did they think the precursor medieval hall was fortified?