York Historic Environment Record

House. Late C17 in origins with late C18 and mid C19 extensions; further extensions and alterations c1900 and C20. Stucco on shallow stone plinth with boldly projecting moulded timber cornice; hipped slate roofs with stucco stacks and three box dormers to central range. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys; 3-window central range set back between 3-window wing to left, 2-window wing to right. Gabled porch projects in centre of central range between unequal sash window to left, 16-pane sash to right; on the first floor centre window is 12-pane sash, the outer ones tripartite sashes. Wing to left has sashes on both floors, one C20 2-light window on ground floor out of line with the others. Wing to right has 12-pane sash windows with stone sills to each floor, one on first floor a dummy. Right return: 2 bays, the left a full height semicircular bow. Ground floor of bow has French doors between sash windows: windows are all 12-pane sashes. INTERIOR: not inspected. RCHM record the following. Ground floor: entrance hall lined with panelling in 2 heights; two fireplaces, one with brown marble surround and rococo frieze, the other with carved and enriched architrave. South-east room has fireplace of Corinthian pilasters. Staircase with moulded string, heavy turned balusters and foliated volutes at the foot of the stairs. First floor: landing has panelled dado and 3-panel doors. Some rooms in central range and C18 wing have original fireplaces and cornices. Rooms in the late C18 wing open off top-lit central hall. Mid C19 wing retains contemporary fittings. (RCHME: City of York: London: 1972-: 121).
Listing NGR: SE6009548713

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

The core of the present building (the central part) was built around 1700 as a typical medium-size country house of three bays and two storeys, with basement and habited attics. It was entered axially and arranged internally in the conventional manner around an entrance hall leading to a rear stair and rear entrance. The front elevation was symmetrical and the elevations generally may have been of exposed ashlar stone. Very little survives from this original phase due to later alterations to the layout, detailing, windows and external finishes; only the roof structure retains its integrity.

In the early-mid 18th century a new rectangular wing of two bays was added to the east side of the house, again two storeys high with basement but no attics. Again, it is not known how this new wing was finished externally. Internally there were two reception rooms on the ground floor, one to the north and one to the south, and major bedrooms on the first floor. Apart from the basic ground floor layout very little of this phase survives, due to 20th century re-furbishing in a more decorative style, re-using old features from elsewhere or copying earlier details. The curved bay was added to the east return wall of the extension later, perhaps after 1800. Some simple moulded cornices may also survive from this date.

In the mid-19th century a longer service wing was added to the west side, again two storeys high and matching its predecessors, to accommodate servants (on the upper floor) and a kitchen and service rooms on the ground floor. It had no basement and no attic rooms but included a stair to the earlier attic rooms. The front part of the extension was 3 bays long as at present but the rear part was 4 bays long, finishing at the boundary wall. The extension was wrapped round a front service yard which included, for the first time, a separate servants' stair. A shallow two storey rear extension from the new wing, running northwards alongside the property boundary and perhaps of later date, provided even more floor-space for servants.

Access to the house up this point may have been direct from the public road, via a driveway rising within the site, but the addition of the service wing and service yard to the main elevation, facing the access, and would have been an embarrassment: the steeper changes in ground level would have also been unworkable. The main access was therefore changed to the longer driveway which included a stable block, and the service yard was screened from the rest of the elevation by tree-planting, and possibly a screen wall. The former site entrance was probably closed up by the existing retaining wall, but with reduced service access.

In the early 20th century radical alterations were made. During the ownership of Colonel Bryan Fairfax (around 1927) the ground floor rooms of the original house were opened up to create a more open-plan entrance hall, and the stair replaced with an early 18th century stair from elsewhere. Pine panelling from elsewhere was fitted to the walls. The insertion of the new stair will have required changes to the upper floor and the upper floor of the western service wing may have been altered.

At some point around 1930 Middlethorpe Manor was bought by the Terry family. The form of the building and its context during their ownership is shown in the OS Map of 1938. Further radical alterations were made which are of unknown age and could be anywhere between the 1930's and the end of the 20th century, and by unknown agents.

The Hall was Listed Grade ll in 1983 but further alterations were made towards the end of the 20th century by the then owners. The indoor swimming pool was added in the northwest corner and a new neo-classical entrance porch of artificial stone was added to the front elevation. Other internal alterations were made and historic features removed. From 2013 to 2015 further works were undertaken; the swimming pool was demolished and replaced, the snooker room demolished, a basement bar and cinema was constructed and a two-storey extension with kitchen, family room and two bedrooms added (Heritge Statement 2017)

NMR Information:

No further description provided.

Related event: (UID 613515) INVESTIGATION BY RCHME/EH ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY. Architectural Survey. 14-NOV-1995 - 14-NOV-1995

2017, Middlethorpe Manor HER ST (Unpublished document). SYO2019.