Horton Court Manor House

Summary

Horton Court is a medieval manor house with 16th century and later additions. A medieval manor mentioned 1086 Domesday book lies beside parish church. A hall parallel with the church has Norman doors c.1160.

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Description

A Manor House incorporating a prebendal house. The north wing dates to circa 1180 and was altered in the 14th and early 18th centuries. Another hall was built in the early 15th century and a third circa 1492, probably by William Burton, a lessee. The house was given its present form by William Knight in 1519-1521 (confirmed by dendrochronological dating) when large extensions onto the existing halls created north and south wings which were linked at the east by a two-storey gallery, thus creating an inner open courtyard. Surviving stonework of this period includes his ornate Renaissance fireplace and doorcase featuring his Prothonotary’s hat and coat of arms. There are also some fine windows on the south and east fronts.

Some small extensions were added in 1710-12 when the house was occupied by the Paston family. They added a floor to the 12th century hall to create a secret Catholic chapel, which later fell into disuse towards the end of the century when the last of the line died. Between 1849 and 1860 the chapel was used as a schoolroom for local children. The house was further altered and restored circa 1884 by F. C. Penrose, in 1919-25 by an unknown architect for Col. St. Maur and again in 1937 by Eustace H. Button.

For a detailed description of the manor house see the 2009 National Trust report ‘The Development of Horton Court, An Architectural Survey’ by Jane and Tony Harcourt.

Condition: Currently under assessment pending renovations. The last quinquennial survey was in 2005

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