In the shadow of the great house (1)
The village of Lamport in Northamptonshire is dominated by Lamport Hall, a vast country house of various dates, designed principally by John Webb in the 17th century and the Smiths of Warwick in the 18th. Looking away from the hall’s long, sash-windowed facades, I began to notice interesting smaller buildings in the main village street, all of them related in some way to the great house.
This one was built as the rectory in c. 1727–30 for Dr Euseby Isham, who was rector and a member of the Isham family who owned the hall. The architect was Francis Smith of Warwick, principal member of a renowned family of architects and builders who came to prominence (rather like the Bastards of Blandford Forum) when their home town burned down at the end of the 17th century. The Smiths built many buildings in the Midlands, especially with striking distance of the home town.
The rectory was actually the first work that the Smiths did at Lamport – Francis Smith started to extend the hall a couple of years after this house was built – and it displays the typical features of its time and of Smith’s work: limestone quoins, sash windows with limestone eared architraves, a pediment above the door, and so on. Its design is very much of its time, its materials – especially the toffee-coloured lias stone – very much of its place: it is a gem of an early-18th century house.
If only the Church of England and its clergy could build as well today.
ReplyDeleteThe Smiths also built a new chancel at Lamport church and a number of monuments for the Isham family which are in the church.
The cost of the Rectory up to 1729 was £1,553 19s 5 1/2d not including the final bill for joinery. Apart from one room altered in 1818 the house is as built. The rectory incorporates stone and timber taken from the old manor house that had been demolished in nearby Hanging Houghton.
From 1729 to 1903 all the rectors of Lamport were either Ishams or married to Ishams, so the house stayed in the family.
For more on the Smith family see 'Smith of Warwick' by Andor Gomme. published in 2000.
Stephen: Many thanks for this interesting information. This was certainly a good period for rectories. (The church was locked when I visited recently, and there didn't seem to be any indication where one might find the key.)
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely beautifully proportioned house. But the original window sash would have had smaller panes, is that correct?
ReplyDeleteDevoted Classicist: Yes. Normally you'd expect to see a total of twelve panes in each window, three across the width, four up the height, in other words six in each sash, an arrangement known as 'six over six'. Sometimes there are other layouts (eg eight over eight). These four-over-four panes do indeed look too large.
ReplyDeleteWithout seeing the interior I am still confident that this Rectory is in move in condition. Perfection!
ReplyDeleteReggie: I've not seen the interior either, but Pevsner reports a good staircase, panelled rooms downstairs, and fireplaces of red Derbyshire marble.
ReplyDeleteOh that rectors still lived in rectories and vicars in vicarages. All too often they suffer the indignity of being stuffed into an entirely inappropriate house or bungalow because their CofE masters want to do dodgy gambling deals on the stock market with the proceeds from sales.
ReplyDeletePeter: Some of the clergy I've met actually prefer their small modern vicarages - easier to heat and so on. Mind you, some of them also like the Good News Bible, so I treat their words with a pinch of salt.
ReplyDeleteNow that's what you call a house! Lovely.
ReplyDeleteVinogirl: I agree!
ReplyDelete