Listed Building record MDO28460 - Wraxall Manor, Wraxall

A house thought to have been built by William Lawrence in the early seventeenth century, with a small detached block to the south west, called the Chapel. The building comprises two storeys with attics, and has walls of stone rubble faced with ashlar, and a slate roof. There have been many internal alterations and a modern addition, joining the two original blocks. The house has been much altered internally in recent times when the modern wing was built joining the two blocks.

[ST 56650113] HIGHER WRAXALL. [T.I.] (1)

WRAXHALL MANOR HOUSE, 1050 yards N.W. of the church. Built in the 17thc. with a small detached block to the S.W, joined in modern times, when the house was much altered internally. The restored S.W. block is called "The Chapel". (2)

The manor is mentioned in Domesday, and a family named Wroxhale possessed the manor from the time of Ed. I to Ed. III. It was owned by various families until the manor of Wraxhall was one
of the manors belonging to Bampfield in the time of Hen VIII. In 1652 a moiety was purchased by Wm. Lawrence. Here is a fine manor-house, built in the time of Eliz I or James I and in the 17thc. nhabited by the Lawrences. This manor-house is in Higher Wraxhall. (3)

The hamlet is called Higher Wraxall but the Manor house goes by the name of Wraxall Manor. Although the S.W. wing is known as the Chapel wing there are no indications of a chapel in the present structure. (4)

The house is of two storeys, with blocked attic windows; it is of stone with a slate roof, and is in good condition. The S.W. block, now joined to the main building, appears to have been considerably restored. No evidence of the possible Chapel was found. (5)

Wraxall Manor, with attached front walls, piers, gates. Grade II*. Manor House, with grounds. Early 17th century. Early 20th century service range to rear of main block, and linking with formerly
detached south-west block. Attached front walls, gate-piers and gates, 15 metres by 18 metres,
rubble-stone and stone-coped. Low front walls with iron railings, on top. Square stone gate-piers with pyramid capstones and large ball- finials. Wrought-iron gate, 18th-19 century. (6)

No change. (7)

Wraxall Manor with attached front walls, piers and gates.Grade II*. (8)

Department of the Environment, 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset (Parishes of Batcombe, Cattistock, Cerne Abbas, Frome St Quinton, Hooke, Rampisham, Sydling St Nicholas and Wraxall), 89 (Scheduling record). SDO16377.

<1> 1866, Hutchins History of Dorset Vol 2, 200-5 (Monograph). SWX2155.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

[ST 56650113] HIGHER WRAXALL. [T.I.]

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 269 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(2) WRAXALL MANOR HOUSE , 1,050 yards N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of rubble ashlar-faced and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built early in the 17th century probably by William Lawrence, toegether with a small detached block to the S.W. The house has been much altered internally in recent times when the modern wing was built joining the two blocks. The N.E. front (Plate 116) is symmetrically designed of four gabled bays with a gabled two-storeyed porch in the middle. The windows are stone-mullioned and have labels; those of the two main floors are each of four transomed lights. The gables are each crowned with a single chimney-shaft. The porch has an outer archway with moulded jambs and four-centred head; the inner doorway is similar. The upper storey has a three-light window with a label and the gable is finished with a pinnacle. The S.E. and N.W. ends have each two gables and a number of windows of similar character to those in front. Inside the building, the staircase-hall is entered by a high stone arch with a round head moulded on the N.E. face. There are a number of original stone fireplaces with moulded or chamfered jambs and heads. One bedroom is lined with early 18th-century panelling. The small S.W. block, called the Chapel, retains a restored three-light window with a label. The roof is of six bays; the arched braces of the easternmost trusses are moulded. The modern loggia on the S.W. side of the main block is constructed of moulded ceiling-beams from the house.'

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 25-MAY-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Mrs M Apperton, 1955, Oral: Mrs M Apperton 24.5.55 Housekeeper to Major & Mrs Inchbald Wraxall Manor Higher Wraxall (Verbal communication). SDO17860.

<6> Field Investigators Comments MCC, F2 MCC 17-FEB-87 (Unpublished document). SDO16335.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 195828 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 22 2022 1:32PM