Listed Building: RANSTON (103197)

ST 8612 IWERNE COURTNEY OR SHROTON RANSTON 12/108 Ranston 14-7-55 GV I Country House. West front 1753, remainder rebuilt 1961-3 incorporating much C18 material. 1753 work for Thomas Ryves of Blandford possibly by himself. 1961-3 work by Louis Osman. Rendered walls with ashlar dressings. Slate roof obscured behind parapets. Symmetrical disposed moulded ashlar stacks. The west front is in the Paladian style. Symmetrical 2 storeys with basements, 5 bays, 1:3:1. Central three bays have a giant order of fluted Corinthian pilasters carrying an entablature and pediment. The cornice continues over the outer bay. The basement storey and quoins are of rusticated ashlar. The parapet has sections of open balustrade over the outer bays and, together with the acroterion of the pediment, is surmounted by vase finials. Uniform 15-pane sashes to the ground floor and 6-pane sashes above. Balustraded double flight of stone steps with lunette window to basement are a copy of an original flight removed in the C19. 1961-3 facades are stylistically in keeping with the west front. The east front has a heavily rusticated central doorway with a Venetian window over. Internally all features are reset. The staircase dated 'Thos Ryves 1753' has stone steps, a scrolled wrought iron balustrade and a moulded wooden handrail. Panelled paintings by Casali set in ceilings and walls. Entrance hall has Ionic colonnades, possibly by the Bastards of Blandford. Similar colonnade above has typical Corinthian columns with inwardly curving volutes (Newman and Pwvsner). Restored rich rococo plasterwork. In the basement is a reset piscina of uncertain provenance under a round arch with egg and dart embellishment. Also incorporated into the basement are the remains of 2 C16 or C17 stone mullioned windows with chamfered jambs and mullions. Although the house has been extensively rebuilt it incoporates many fine C18 features and is a rare example of the Palladian idiom in Dorset. (RCHM, Dorset, vol III, p 128, no 3 Newman J and Pevsner N, The Buildings of England, Dorset 1972, p 237, Oswald, Arthur, Country Houses of Dorset, 1935, p 1935, p 161/2). Listing NGR: ST8628212356

Record last edited

Dec 23 2019 9:37AM