Hinwick House
Encyclopedia
Hinwick House, built in 1709-14 for Richard Orlebar, stands to the north of the hamlet of Hinwick
, Bedfordshire
, England
. The house stands in its own park of about 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) on the west side of the road from Podington
and to the south of the Wollaston Road from which the house is approached along a drive. At the end of which are wrought-iron gates with stone piers surmounted by collared eagles' heads with wings displayed, the crest of the Orlebar family who the house was built by. It has Changed owners over the last 50 years a number of times, and is now owned by a Mr Ronan Willson, and is being refurbished to its former glory.
The house has three storeys, with the entrance front facing the east. At the back is a smaller house known as the Turret. This is the oldest block in the group of buildings, and probably dates from the 17th century. It was a low, T-shaped building, two storeys high, with dormers in the roof. It is built of stone and roofed with Collyweston stone slate
, but at the time of the erection of the main house a small square addition surmounted by an hexagonal turret was made on the east side. On the east front the tower is open to the height of the floor of the top storey, and inside it is curved in plan with a double staircase leading up out of the garden to the first floor.
The larger house is three storeys high with a flat roof. In the centre of the east front, entered directly from the garden, is the hall, elaborately panelled, behind which is the inner hall. Out of the inner hall rises the staircase, a fine piece of 18th century joinery work, with delicately turned balusters and moulded hand-rail. On the north is the dining-room and on the south is the drawing-room. Several of the bedrooms are panelled. The entrance or east front is divided into three bays by four Corinthian pilasters, over which the cornice breaks, while from the cornice are carried up to the top of the balustrade, immediately over these pilasters, smaller ones of the Doric order. The level of the first floor is masked by a projecting string. At the sides of the entrance doorway are panelled pilasters with carved brackets supporting a cornice, above which is a cartouche carved with the arms of Orlebar impaling Astrey set within a broken pediment.
At the west angle of the south front is a Corinthian pilaster corresponding to the south angle pilaster to the front façade, while above the cornices is a triangular pediment, the tympanum
of which is carved with a scene representing Diana
hunting by John Hunt of Northampton
who has also been credited with the design of the house. The interest of the west front is enhanced by the projecting wings on the north and south. The Victorian north wing of the house was built in 1859-66 by F. C Penrose in the Georgian style.
Hinwick
Hinwick is a hamlet in northwest Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom; it is around nine miles north west of Bedford and is about east of the county border with Northamptonshire which is also the postal county. The hamlet is in the parish of Podington, which is sometimes called "Podington and...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The house stands in its own park of about 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) on the west side of the road from Podington
Podington
Podington is a village and civil parish in northwest Bedfordshire in England, United Kingdom. The village is within the electoral ward of Harrold in the Borough of Bedford. Podington lies around northwest of Bedford and is about east of the county border with Northamptonshire...
and to the south of the Wollaston Road from which the house is approached along a drive. At the end of which are wrought-iron gates with stone piers surmounted by collared eagles' heads with wings displayed, the crest of the Orlebar family who the house was built by. It has Changed owners over the last 50 years a number of times, and is now owned by a Mr Ronan Willson, and is being refurbished to its former glory.
The house has three storeys, with the entrance front facing the east. At the back is a smaller house known as the Turret. This is the oldest block in the group of buildings, and probably dates from the 17th century. It was a low, T-shaped building, two storeys high, with dormers in the roof. It is built of stone and roofed with Collyweston stone slate
Collyweston stone slate
Collyweston stone slate is a traditional roofing material found in England.It is not a proper slate but a limestone found in narrow beds. The slates are quarried near the village of Collyweston in Northamptonshire, near Stamford and close to the borders of Lincolnshire and Rutland. It is...
, but at the time of the erection of the main house a small square addition surmounted by an hexagonal turret was made on the east side. On the east front the tower is open to the height of the floor of the top storey, and inside it is curved in plan with a double staircase leading up out of the garden to the first floor.
The larger house is three storeys high with a flat roof. In the centre of the east front, entered directly from the garden, is the hall, elaborately panelled, behind which is the inner hall. Out of the inner hall rises the staircase, a fine piece of 18th century joinery work, with delicately turned balusters and moulded hand-rail. On the north is the dining-room and on the south is the drawing-room. Several of the bedrooms are panelled. The entrance or east front is divided into three bays by four Corinthian pilasters, over which the cornice breaks, while from the cornice are carried up to the top of the balustrade, immediately over these pilasters, smaller ones of the Doric order. The level of the first floor is masked by a projecting string. At the sides of the entrance doorway are panelled pilasters with carved brackets supporting a cornice, above which is a cartouche carved with the arms of Orlebar impaling Astrey set within a broken pediment.
At the west angle of the south front is a Corinthian pilaster corresponding to the south angle pilaster to the front façade, while above the cornices is a triangular pediment, the tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
of which is carved with a scene representing Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
hunting by John Hunt of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
who has also been credited with the design of the house. The interest of the west front is enhanced by the projecting wings on the north and south. The Victorian north wing of the house was built in 1859-66 by F. C Penrose in the Georgian style.
See also
- HinwickHinwickHinwick is a hamlet in northwest Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom; it is around nine miles north west of Bedford and is about east of the county border with Northamptonshire which is also the postal county. The hamlet is in the parish of Podington, which is sometimes called "Podington and...
- Air Vice Marshal Augustus OrlebarAugustus OrlebarAir Vice Marshal Augustus Henry Orlebar CBE AFC & Bar was a British Army and Royal Air Force officer who served in both world wars....