The Porch House and Belcombe Court

Enjoy private owner-guided tours of The Porch House, Potterne, and Belcombe Court.

The Porch House (image © Dr Neil Clifton / Potterne: Porch House and other old houses)

Visit two of Wiltshire’s least known Grade I houses commencing at The Porch House, a beautiful, classic timber-framed medieval manor house of about 1480, in Potterne’s high street. The house was restored in the 19th century but retains many of its original features, including fancy woodwork, such as some glorious carved bargeboards. Raised on a plinth of very solid stones, it’s a close-studded frame, meaning that it has many vertical timbers, placed close together. The house may have been built by the church – having been lived in by at least one bishop – and was later a brewery, bakehouse, pub (The White Horse). Features include a central, full-height hall flanked by two cross wings, which would have contained private rooms on one side and service rooms on the other and the porch, protruding from one of the cross wings. 

Belcombe Court

Belcombe Court was originally built in 1700 and altered in 1734 by architect John Wood the Elder, famous for designing many of the finest buildings in Bath. The oak doors are thick, the coved ceilings and moulded cornices draw the eyes upwards and the brickwork creates a rich tapestry throughout the estate. The beautiful 60-acre landscaped garden and park is registered by English Heritage as being of special historic interest with a blend of 18th century and contemporary features.

Tickets £75pp, including a two-course hot lunch with tea and coffee at the Three Daggers Inn, Edington, with a range of choices that will be offered in April.