More information : (ST 72704933). Manor House (NAT). (1)
The Manor House at Mells seems externally Elizabethan, though it was much restored about 1900. It is recorded as largely in ruins in 1794. Various architectural features suggest that it was built in the early 16th century, at which time it was a Grange of Glastonbury Abbey. (2)
Manor House, with garden walls and entrance gatepiers, C.16. Only the S. wing survives of an originally much larger H.-shaped house of which the centre and N. wing were demolished c.1780 to build stables at Park House. Rubble, some ashlar, stone-tiled roofs, square stone stacks with moulded caps, in groups of four. Two-storey plus attics in 5 gables front and rear, moulded copings with finial bases to gables. Windows are multi-light casements with moulded stone mullions and transoms, dripmoulds, 2-storey angular stone bay in end elevations. Stone walled gardens to S. and N., the latter having 1/2-round buttresses without capitals along its W. wall. At the drive entrance from the main road is a pair of square ashlar gate piers with moulded caps and carved stone heraldic dogs ( Talbots). Described and illustrated in "Country Life", April 23rd 1943. (3)
10/29 Mells Manor, (previously listed as The Manor House), and garden walls to rear.
Manor house. C16 for Edward Horner, C17 alterations, partially demolished circa 1780, restored by Sir Edwin Lutyens after 1900 including muniment room of 1931. Doulting rubble, dressed quoins, ashlar stacks with moulded caps, some hexagonal, small wooden bell-cote to ridge with domed lead roof and finial. Single block of original "H"-plan remains, Elizabethan. 2-storeys and attic, 5-bays, openings to attic in coped gables; left 2-bays projecting forward slightly as a pair with diagonal corner buttresses, right 2-bays delineated by narrow polygonal buttresses; string courses and some stopped labels above heads, mullion and transom windows, leaded lights. Door opening in C19 flat roofed ashlar porch, paired 4-centred archways to left, projecting bay with blank 2-light mullioned window to right. Left return has single storey muniment room; 2-storey angular bay to right return. Rear gardens are enclosed by attached rubble and brick walls with moulded cappings; enclosed area to east has three 4-centred gate openings in stone surrounds, plank doors; south end has rusticated brick piers with ball finials, blocked opening between. (4)
Walled garden at Mells, probably formed by Richard Beere, Abbot of Glastonbury or Abbot Whiting, 1493-1539 (5) |