The Mount House, Great Somerford, Wiltshire, SN15 (Grade II*)

GREAT SOMERFORD TOP STREET ST 98 SE 3/210 The Mount House 12.12.51 II* House, C16 refronted in early C19, rubble stone with roughcast front, stone slate roofs. Two storeys and attic. Three window formal front with ashlar ridge stack and end stacks. Raised angle piers to centre bay and outer angles, timber eaves cornice and centre pediment. First floor 12-pane sash each side and round- headed centre window. Ground floor French window each side with margin glazing bars and centre double half-glazed doors in wrought- iron tent porch. Rubble stone east wall and plinth of rear wall, roughcast above with one-window range of casement pairs. In angle to rear wing flat-roofed stair tower, roughcast with north cross window and open ground floor with framed plank door within. Rear wing has ridge stack, one hipped dormer and leaded casements, casement pair each floor to left, then casement each floor, then 2- storey gabled porch with small pair of sashes over flat-headed entry. Ashlar base. Timber-frame wall of main house exposed within porch. Plank door. Casement to right of porch and end wall lean-to with large red brick stack and slate roof. Interior: framing apparently of a single build with bar-stopped beams and one compartmental ceiling in rear wing. Late C17 or early C18 stair with original folding door at foot and sliding shutters to stair-light and turned balusters at landing. One upper room in rear wing has early C18 panelling and bolection- moulded fireplace. The Mount House was the manor house of Somerford Maltravers, held in middle ages by Maltravers family, said to have been rebuilt shortly before sale in 1575 to John Yewe or Yeo, clothier. Held by Jason family 1609-98, bought 1698 by John Smith of Wanborough and held by Smith family and descendants until 1940. Refronting was probably for Dr William Smith, died 1833, who inherited in 1798. (P. Hobbs, Somerford Magna, 1982)