A Brief History of the Manor

Wolverton Manor was the second house built on this site and is a typical Jacobean house in the shape of an 'E' when viewed from above. The main axis of all such houses was North - South and the front elevation always faced due East. Wolverton is no exception. The original house was built on an island and the moat still exists. After the death of Sir John Dingley, his son-in-law, Sir John Hammond decided to improve the family home. He demolished the old house and built the present one. Hammond was one of the physicians to James I of England (6th of Scotland) and his nephew was Governor of Carisbrooke Castle. He handed Charles I over to the Parliamentarians, which led to the King's execution. The house is built of ferruginous sandstone quarried near Brighstone and green sandstone quarried at Quarr. The mullioned windows were bought in from Portland ready-made!

The original house was symmetrical but at the turn of the 18th Century some new ideas of architecture and style became fashionable. It was decided to follow the trend and alter the house to a Queen Anne style. From outside you can see large glazed sash windows on the South wing. Inside the proportions were changes to create rooms with splendid doors, architraves, cornices and windows with shutters. Fortunately the project was never completed and now there is this perfect harmony of two different styles.

Inside there are two wonderful carved overmantels - one with the heraldic device of Dingley and the other of Hammond. There is also a fine Chinese Chippendale staircase. The house is presently the private home of the Patterson family and is open by arrangement.

The farm outbuildings are very special and used for the working farm. The large thatched shearing barn is amongst the best examples in the whole South of England; the Granary and the old chapel also are very important parts of a wonderful complex of historically important buildings. The moat is a Scheduled Monument of exceptional interest. Finally there is an ancient grove of cobnut trees near the moat.