Hutton, Old, and Holmescales

44 HUTTON, OLD, AND HOLMESCALES (D.g.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XXXIX, S.W., ^(b)XLIII, N.W.)

Old Hutton is a parish 4 m. S.E. of Kendal. Blease Hall is the principal monument and the church possesses a mediæval chalice.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, formerly a chapel of Kendal, stands in the N.W. part of the parish. It was re-built in 1699 and again in 1873, but incorporates one 14th-century window of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square head and some old quoins, in the modern organ-chamber.

Fittings—Chairs: In chancel—two, with panelled backs and shaped top-rails, turned front legs and stretcher, early 18th-century. Plate: includes a mediæval chalice (Plate 55) of c. 1495 (about 6 in. high), with shallow bowl, hexagonal stem with enriched knop, base of the same form with concave sides, foliage enrichments at the angles and an engraved crucifix with foliage on one face. Poor-box: In chancel— turned post of baluster form, with hollowed-out top and lid with iron band, in form of poor-box but without slot or fastening for lid, late 17th or early 18th-century.

Condition—Rebuilt.

Secular

^a(2). Hutton Bridge, over the river Beela, 580 yards E.S.E. of the church, is of rubble and of one span. The arch is segmental and has been widened on both sides; the middle section is probably of the 17th century.

Condition—Good.

^a(3). Blease Hall, house and barn, 1,260 yards W.N.W. of the church. The House (Plate 18) is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built c. 1600 probably by Roger Bateman, on an H-shaped plan with the crosswings at the N. and S. ends. The S. wing was pulled down in the 19th century and the panelling and woodwork have been removed in recent years. On the W. front, the main block has a large projecting bay-window with a six-light mullioned and transomed window in each storey, both largely blocked; the N. wing also retains its original windows, except on the ground floor; those above are of six and four transomed lights respectively. Most of the windows on the E. side have been altered, but some original windows remain at the N. end. Inside the building are some exposed ceiling-beams. The main room has an original doorway in the S. wall with moulded jambs and flat four-centred head; the nail-studded door has strap-hinges, scutcheon and knocker; in the N. wall is a doorway with a moulded head and a second with a moulded surround; both have 17th-century panelled doors. The W. room in the cross-wing has an original modelled plaster frieze divided into bays by small figures, but thickly coated with whitewash. On the first floor the main room has remains of an original plaster ceiling (Plate 49) of elaborate design; the decoration consists of large spirals of vine-ornament with smaller spirals in the spandrels; on the N. wall is a plaster frieze (Plate 50) of similar ornament with human heads or busts at intervals. There are also some panelled 17th-century doors.

There was a small courtyard on the W. of the house with remains of a double gateway on the W. side; only one jamb of the main gateway survives, but the postern is complete and has moulded jambs and semielliptical head. The Barn, S.W. of the house, is of stone and of two storeys; it is probably of 17th-century date.

Condition—Structurally good, but rather neglected.

Monuments (4–8)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good, or fairly good.

^a(4). Middleshaw Hall, house and outbuilding, 560 yards N.W. of the church. The House has a later W. wing with a more or less modern extension farther to the W. Inside the building is an early 18th-century staircase with turned balusters and moulded string; there is also a little 17th-century panelling. The Outbuilding, E. of the house, is probably of the 17th century.

^a(5). Ewebank, house, nearly 1¼ m. N.E. of the church, was built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. It contains an early 18th-century fireplace with fluted key-block and moulded cornice.

^a(6). Town House, nearly 1 m. E.N.E. of the church, has been much altered.

^a(7). Great Eskrigg Farm, house, 1,130 yards E.N.E. of the church, has an original entrance-doorway with moulded jambs and shaped head on the surface of the flat lintel. There are also some original stone-mullioned windows. Inside the building is a moulded ceiling-beam and a small cupboard, with the initials and date W.T.A. 1699 on the frame. The staircase has turned balusters and there is a little 17th-century panelling.

^b(8). Beckside, house, 580 yards S.S.W. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century and contains a muntin and plank partition of the local type.