Building record 0457800000 - HAMPDEN HOUSE

Dimensions - Width 28m, Length 54m.
Grade I. Mansion. Late C16 hall range with E. cross wing and C17 extension to W. Hall incorporates C14 arched doorway with C15-early C16 porch tower. House remodelled c. 1740-1746 in Gothick style with W. porch, extensions to E. wing and kitchen ranges to N. Interior decoration dates from 1740s and 1750s, with early C20 alterations. Home of the Hampden family until 1754, and then of their descendants the Trevors and the Hobarts, later Earls of Buckinghamshire. Gothick remodelling executed for the last John Hampden. C16 and C17 parts are of red brick with blue diaper-patterning; flint and stone porch tower; remainder brick. House completely rendered mid C18 but now stripped except for N. and E. fronts, S.E. end, porch tower and W. porch. Old tile roofs hidden by C18 rendered battlements with moulded stone coping, and rendered Gothick frieze below. Brick chimneys, some rendered, with diagonal shafts flanking rows of square shafts. 2 - 3 storeys. E. front has 3 - storey central section of 5 bays, flanking 2-storey bays with bowed projections, and 2 further bays at each end, also of 2 storeys. Stone quoins, plinth and band courses, the central section having a parapet with stone coping, ball finials and pair of heraldic griffins. Semi- circular arched windows with stone keyblocks and springers, the ground floor with early C20 wooden cross casements, the first floor with C19 sashes, the second floor with C18 sashes. 2 right bays altered to stone cross windows. Blind attic window panels in parapets. Central C20 double doors with C18 stone Doric porch; C20 door to each bowed projection. Flanking curved brick walls with 5 blind arches of bonded flint, each wall with another arch to return. One open arch in S. wall. Gothick arcade along W. side of wing has 7 bays of arched casements with leaded cross windows above and semi-decagonal arched doorway at S. end. Slightly asymmetrical S. front has 7 bays of cross windows, the left bays a little irregular, and paired leaded attic casements. Similar windows in projecting corner-bays. Off-centre porch has stone battlements with cross-slits and machicolations, altered first floor window, and C15-C16 moulded 4-centred arch with C20 doors. To each side of porch are 2-light traceried.windows, heavily restored, and other altered openings. W.end remodelled into Gothick porch 1742, the centre bayrecessed with battlemented gable over tall pointed arch. 3-bay Gothick fenestration with ogee and 2-centred arches, Central moulded shallow arch; arched inner doorway with triple shafts and shuttered half-glazed doors. Kitchen ranges have fine wooden Gothick doorcase, reset in C20 porch, and small Gothick porch with arched doorway and heraldic shields to centre of N. front. Interior: Hall has gallery with late C17 balustrade, and roof from C15 barn at Great Kimble, installed c. 1917. C17 staircase in W.wing; some C16-C17 stone fireplaces. Main staircase is probably mid C18 but of peculiar C17 character with arcaded balustrade and strapwork ceiling. E.wing has series of mid C18 ground floor state rooms with fine plaster ceilings and marbled stone and wooden fireplaces, the central room having a marble fireplace with carved rustic scenes. S.room originally of 2-storey height with coved ceiling. Small dining room adjacent to N. has semi-circular alcoves and plaster drops of fruit and flowers. Bed alcove with Ionic pilasters in room to N. of centre. Early C20 screen of columns between N.rooms. Another bed alcove in first floor room. Documented in the Earl of Buckinghamshire's collection, Bucks Records Office (B6).
Conservation Area designated in 1992 (B13).