32 HOPE-UNDER-DINMORE (D.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XIX, S.W., ^(b)XIX, S.E., ^(c)XXVI, N.E.)

Hope-under-Dinmore is a parish on the river Lugg, 4 m. S. of Leominster. Hampton Court and Winsley House are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands in the E. part of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered with tiles, stone slates, and lead. Owing to restoration there is little evidence of the date of the structure, but, judging from the character of the windows, the Nave was built or re-built in the 14th century. The West Tower appears to have been re-built in the 18th century. The church was drastically restored in 1879 when the North Transept was added; the Chancel was re-built in 1896; the North Porch is modern.

Among the fittings the font and incised slab are noteworthy. There is, furthermore, a fine 18th-century monument to the Coningsby family ascribed to Roubiliac.

Architectural Description—The Chancel is modern, but incorporates some old stones in the window-splays and in the responds of the chancel-arch.

The Nave has no ancient features except a window of one trefoiled light at the E. end of the S. wall which is partly of 14th-century materials.

The West Tower is probably of 18th-century date and is of three stages with a modern embattled parapet. The tower-arch is modern. In the N. wall is a modern doorway now blocked, and in the S. wall is a window of one segmental-pointed light with a shouldered internal lintel, probably of the 18th century; below it is a low relieving or foundation-arch, visible internally. In the W. wall is a modern window. The second stage, now floorless, has a modern window in the N. wall and a single-light window in the S. wall, similar to that in the stage below. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a plain square-headed light with a wooden frame.

Fittings—Chest: In vestry—plain with pairs of half-balusters at the angles and moulded lid, possibly early 18th-century. Communion Rails: with turned balusters and moulded top rail, early 18th-century. Communion Table: made up with four mid 17th-century turned legs, moulded top rail with shaped brackets and modern material. Cupboard: In vestry—modern, but with one late 16th-century cock's head hinge. Font (Plate 117): octagonal bowl with moulded upper and lower rim and concave soffit with angle ribs; each face of bowl with a moulded cinque-foiled arch with foliated spandrels and resting on attached shafts; under each arch a seated figure, two representing SS. Peter and Paul, others probably Evangelists, perhaps St. John the Baptist and another figure; stem with panelled sides and angle ribs and moulded base, probably late 13th-century. Cover with turned central post and supporting brackets, late 17th-century. Glass: In second stage of tower—in S. window, foliated quarry, 13th or 14th-century. Monument: In N. chapel on S. wall, to Humfry Conyngsbye, 15(08), incised slab (Plate 66), with figure of man in plate armour and wife in French cap, pendant sleeves, etc., three sons and four daughters, marginal inscription in black letter. Miscellanea: In churchyard—N. of tower, rough round stone, with square central socket, perhaps mill-stone.

Condition—Good, much re-built.

Secular

^b(2). Hampton Court, about 1,200 yards E.S.E. of the church, is partly of two and partly of three storeys; the walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material, and the roofs are mostly lead-covered. The house, then called Hampton Richard, was presumably built by Sir Roland Lenthall, who had a licence to crenellate in 1434 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1429–36, p. 446). Leland, who describes the house as "a goodly manor-place" states that it was built from the ransoms of French prisoners taken by Lenthall at Agincourt, but that after the death of his son he ceased to build there. Lord Coningsby (d. 1729), employed Colin Campbell to modernise the house, and drawings of it appear in that architect's Vitruvius Britannicus. In the first half of the 19th century the house was again much altered and restored under Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, the architect. The main lines of the house, including the quadrangular plan, appear to have preserved the arrangement and much of the walling of the 15th-century structure, the gatehouse, chapel and porch being the least altered parts of the building. Colin Campbell's alterations apparently included the remodelling of the S. front and the addition of wings on the S.W. and S.E. The work of Wyatville seems to have been more serious and to have included the heightening of the main rooms on the ground floor of the E. and S. ranges, by the removal of the first floor, the insertion of much taller windows and the general restoration of the exterior in the 'Gothic' taste.

Though much altered the building is an interesting example of a late mediæval semi-fortified house.

The N. Front (Plate 114) has in the middle the rectangular gatehouse, a 15th-century structure rising above the adjoining roofs and finished with an embattled and machicolated parapet on moulded corbelling. The restored gateway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch in a square head with a moulded label; the reveals are grooved for a portcullis; the double doors are of nail-studded battens on square framing, with a wicket in each fold; flanking the arch are cruciform loops which are repeated in the return walls of the projecting part of the gatehouse; the other features are modern. The parts of the front adjoining the gatehouse on each side are carried up higher than the rest of the front though not as high as the gatehouse itself, and at the angles of the main building are small square towers; these are probably part of the original design, but the higher parts of the front are probably an early 18th-century alteration. The windows, both in arrangement and detail, are modern. In the E. angle of the gatehouse is a stair-turret carried up above the parapet of the gatehouse. On the buildings adjoining the gatehouse are two rain-water heads both dated 1710 and one with the arms of Coningsby impaling Jones (for Lord Coningsby and his second wife Frances).

The Chapel is mainly of the 15th century, but has an enriched parapet probably modern, as the older views of the house show an embattled parapet. The E. window is of five trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In the N. wall are three windows each of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label; the westernmost is much restored. At the E. end of the S. wall are remains of a blocked window.

The E., S. and W. Fronts have no ancient features. The N. side of the Courtyard has the gatehouse in the middle; on this side (Plate 116) is a modern archway, and there are two modern windows above flanking a large 15th-century niche; this niche has a moulded base, side-shafts and pinnacles and a canopied head with a vaulted soffit; the top of the canopy has been cut away; higher up are two modern windows. The rest of the N. side has no ancient features except the base of a pinnacle in the angle between it and the small square turret in the N.E. corner of the courtyard. The E. and W. sides of the courtyard have no ancient features. The S. side (Plate 113) has a central projecting porch, mainly of the 15th century; it is of two storeys with diagonal buttresses and an embattled parapet. The original entrance archway has moulded jambs and segmental-pointed head; it is now filled in with a modern doorway; the upper storey has an original window of four trefoiled ogee lights in a square head. There are traces of a former window in the E. wall of the porch and a single-light window, now blocked, in the W. wall. The main wall E. of the porch retains traces of the pointed heads of two original windows lighting the Hall; the existing windows are modern. In the S.E. angle of the courtyard is a projecting building formerly containing a staircase; in the W. wall of the upper storey is a window perhaps of the 16th century, and of two cinque-foiled lights with tracery in a square head with a moulded label. The rest of the front has no ancient features.

Hampton Court, Hope-under-Dinmore

Interior. The Chapel has a roof (Plate 115) probably of the 15th century but now painted; it is low-pitched and of four bays with cambered tie-beams, tracery above, carved bosses on the soffits and at the sides, half figures of men holding shields or books; the ceiling is divided by moulded ribs into eight panels in each bay with bosses at the intersections, carved with foliage, blackamoors' heads and faces; against the E. wall is a carving of a man carrying a devil, and against the W. wall a squatting figure. A certain amount of old glass remains; in the E. window are quarries with roses and foliage, also several roundels almost entirely modern but incorporating a few ancient fragments and a black letter inscription with the name St. Thomas. In the N. windows are two shields of Coningsby impaling Fitzwilliam, dated respectively 1613 and 1614; a reversed shield of Lenthall impaling a coat of checky or and azure, partly modern; various fragments, a crest, two sitting coneys, the initials T and P.C., a shield of Lenthall impaling a second Lenthall coat with a label; also various quarries and fragments which may be old; the Lenthall arms are presumably 15th-century. In the hall, W. of the chapel, are a series of panels with painted shields showing the alliances of the Coningsby family and probably of early 18th-century date; they are set in modern framing. In the N.E. angle-turret is an oblong stone tank, bolted together and called Lenthall's Bath. The staircase, W. of the gatehouse, is of early 18th-century date and has a scrolled wrought-iron balustrade and a moulded handrail. A room in the projecting S.W. wing has an early 18th-century marble surround to the fireplace. On the first floor the original level is retained only in the W. and parts of the N. and S. ranges; elsewhere the main floor has been greatly heightened. In the turret in the S.E. angle of the courtyard is a 15th-century recess with a cinque-foiled head and remains of a broken basin. On the first floor of the gatehouse is a fireplace with an early 18th-century marble surround; the adjoining newel-staircase has remains of a wooden handrail, probably of the 16th or 17th century.

An Outbuilding, N.W. of the house, is probably of 16th-century date. It is of rubble and of five bays with buttresses. The N. and S. gables have old round finials.

Condition—Good.

^b(3). Winsley House, and outbuildings, nearly 1¾ m. W. of the church. The House is of two storeys, partly timber-framed, with later brickwork and stone; the roofs are covered with stone slates. A block at the N.W. corner of the house, formerly of one storey but now divided up and faced with brick, dates probably from the 14th century and is the earliest part of the existing house. The adjoining portions forming wings towards the E. and S. were re-built early in the 16th century, with the porch towards the courtyard. The S. wing was extended early in the 17th century. The outer walls of this extension and the whole of the walls of the ground storey towards the courtyard were re-built in stone, except the porch. Late in the 18th century the outer N. and W. fronts were refaced or re-built in red brick, the E. wing extended and the former range E. of the courtyard destroyed. The existing building S. of the W. wing is modern but incorporates a door-head carved with the date 1610. On the S. of the courtyard is an outbuilding partly of 17th-century timber-framing.

The house has early 16th-century timber-framing of some interest.

The N. and W. fronts are all of 18th-century brickwork except for a timber-framed bay-window with a lead cupola which may be an earlier addition. The S. front of the N. range has a stone lower storey with an added staircase-projection. The upper storey has some exposed and close-set timber-framing; the W. bay has moulded bressummers at the first floor level and at the base of the gable; the projecting porch (Plate 36) has similar framing and moulded bressummers; the barge-boards are carved with a partly defaced inscription in early 16th-century capitals "[Per signum tau] libera nos Jeesv." At the N. end of the E. face of the S. range is a wide bay with close-set timber-framing with the gable projecting on a moulded and embattled bressummer. Inside the building, the original 14th-century block has an open roof of three main bays; the main trusses have tie-beams on shaped wall-posts and very short king-posts supporting the collar-beams; the subsidiary trusses have collar-beams only, with curved braces; the wind-braces are cusped. The Kitchen, adjoining this block on the E., has an early 16th-century ceiling divided into panels by moulded beams. A room in the S. wing has a late 16th-century plaster panel in the ceiling with a fleur-de-lis, roses and cherub-heads. Other rooms have exposed ceiling-beams.

The Barn and cow-house, S. of the house, are of the 17th century and timber-framed.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a(4). Middle Hill, house, 2½ m. W.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with cellars; the walls are timber-framed and the roofs are covered with tiles and slates. The N. part of the house consists of the E. bay of a 14th-century hall and a contemporary E. cross-wing of two storeys. The hall was divided into two storeys in the 17th century, the W. part taken down and the remaining part incorporated in a higher and wider building; the E. wing was also extended towards the S. The original central truss (Plate 39) of the hall remains in the present W. wall; it is of crutch-type with a braced collar beam and struts above forming three foiled openings with the blades of the crutch. The N. end of the cross-wing has the original square framing with curved braces exposed in the upper storey and gable. Inside this wing the original heavy ceiling-beams are exposed. Much of the later timber-framing is exposed.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (5–35)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed, and with tile or slate-covered roofs. Most of the buildings have exposed external timber-framing and internal ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^a(5). Crossways Cottage, on the N. edge of the parish, 420 yards N.N.E. of (4), has been heightened.

^a(6). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 70 yards S. of (4), has a thatched roof.

^a(7). Cottage, on the E. side of the road, 70 yards S.S.E. of (6), has been heightened.

^a(8). Cottage, two tenements, on the E. side of the road, 70 yards S.S.E. of (7), was built in the first half of the 16th century as part of a larger building. The upper storey projects at the N. end on curved brackets on small shafts attached to the main posts.

^a(9). Cottage, on the E. side of the road, at Upper Hill, 80 yards S.W. of Pigeonhouse Farm, was built early in the 18th century and subsequently heightened.

^a(10). Cottage, on the S. side of the road, 220 yards S.S.W. of (9), has a thatched roof.

^a(11). Cottage, 60 yards E. of (10), has a modern W. wing.

^a(12). The Yoke, house and outbuilding, on the W. side of Upper Hill, 2½ m. W. of the church. The House has been re-built except for the early 18th-century S. wing. The Outbuilding S. of the house is of rather earlier date.

^a(13). Cottage, 240 yards S.S.E. of (12), is of late 17th or early 18th-century date and has a thatched roof.

^a(14). The Lodge, house, on the E. side of Upper Hill, 350 yards E. of (12), is of two storeys with attics, and the walls are partly of rubble.

^a(15). The Well, house, 100 yards N.E. of (14), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and W. There is an unusually large well E. of the house.

^a(16). Cottage, 20 yards N. of (15), has been heightened.

^a(17). Cottage, two tenements, 70 yards N.W. of (16), is weather-boarded and has a thatched roof.

^a(18). Cottage, 140 yards N. of (17), has a modern brick front.

^a(19). Broomwell Farm, house on the S. border of the parish, 1,500 yards S.W. of (3), has been re-built except for the N. wing.

^c(20). Cottage, 1,650 yards S.W. of the church.

^c(21). Cottage, 70 yards E. of (20), has been heightened and has a modern brick front.

^c(22). Cottage, 140 yards E.N.E. of (21), has a corrugated-iron roof.

^c(23). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, ¾ m. S.S.W. of the church, has a later extension on the N.E.

^b(24). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 300 yards N. of (23), has been heightened.

^b(25). Cottage, on the E. side of the road, nearly opposite (24), has been heightened.

^b(26). House, two tenements, on the W. side of the road immediately N. of the railway and 800 yards S.S.W. of the church, is built of stone. The E. chimney-stack has three attached diagonal shafts. Two upper windows on the E. front have solid frames, mullions, and transoms.

^b(27). House, two tenements, on the E. side of the road, 50 yards N.E. of (26), has a later extension on the S.

^b(28). House, two tenements, on the W. side of the road, 40 yards N.W. of (27), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and E. The E. wing is a rather later addition and has diagonal framing in the E. gable.

^b(29). Cottage, and Post Office, immediately N. of (28), has been mostly re-built in stone and brick.

^b(30). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 100 yards N.N.E. of (29) and 600 yards S.S.W. of the church, has a corrugated-iron roof.

^b(31). Cottage, 120 yards N. of (30).

^c(32). Cottage, two tenements, on the E. side of the Hereford road, 1 m. S.S.W. of the church.

^c(33). Cottage, nearly opposite (32).

^b(34). Codling Hall, cottage, 350 yards N.W. of the church, was built late in the 17th or early in the 18 th century.

^b(35). Brownsland Farm, house and outbuilding, 600 yards W.N.W. of the church. The House is of two periods in the 17th century, the northern being the later and having an 18th-century extension beyond it. The Outbuilding, N.E. of the house, is of four bays and incorporates some re-used early 16th-century moulded beams.