Description

BITTERLEY

SO57NW HENLEY
482-1/5/79 Henley Hall and attached walls,
12/11/54 balustrades and steps to south

GV II*

Country house. Mid C18, remodelled c1772, extensions c1875 and
1907. Brick with brick parapeted slate roofs. Generally either
brick projecting gable-end stacks or integral ridge stacks,
all plain but with oversailing caps with single spurred shaft
to south. Linear developed plan with original C18 block
extended each end in 1772 and at one end with major extensions
in 1875 and 1907.
EXTERIOR: generally 3-storey. North front facade of original
range has mid C18 central slightly advanced 4-storey
single-window bay with 12/12 sashes and upper 2-mullion and
transom window capped with pediment, flanked by 3-storey,
3-window wings of 9/9 sashes and upper 3-mullion and transom
windows. Flanking wings added c1772: 3-storey, 3-window range
to left and 4-window range to right, with 9/9 sashes to first
floor, 12/9 sashes to ground floor and large 4-mullion and
transom upper windows. Left range central ground-floor sash
brick-blocked and to right C20 range a projecting brick porch
covers one sash bay. Sashes with moulded cases and no sills.
All windows with gauged brick lintels. Central lead-roofed
porch with pair of Tuscan columns supporting Doric entablature
with open pediment. Doorcase with plain pilasters and 2/2 sash
side lights with eared architrave. Pair of 8-panelled doors
with fanlight with radial glazing bars. Top storey of all
flanking wings remodelled with stone-coped parapets with 4 low
gable pediments. Brick string courses at first and second
floors. Lead rainwater hoppers dated 1772. Right return:
extensive projecting 3-storey wings of 1875 and 1907 adjoin
and cover original range. Left return end masked by 2-storey
brick flat-roofed extension wing. Extension with 5 6/6 sashes
to the north, the 2 outer in recessed bay, with blank lower
floor. 4 12/12 sashes with 16/16 sashes below to the east
front, the right-hand sash in recessed bay over a pedimented
doorcase; 2 4/4 sashes to first floor of south elevation and
2/2 sashes to the ground floor. Additional ground-floor 16/16
sash incorporates glazed sundial roundel.
Rear to south: central slightly advanced bay with portico
which mirrors that at the N front but with glazed pair of
doors, with mullioned C19 2/2 sashes with side lights and
stone surrounds at both storeys. To right is 6-window range
with 4/4 sashes to first floor and 1/1 C19 sashes or tall
casements to ground floor. 2-mullion and transom casements to
second floor, and with central change of level. To left the
bay is covered by c1875 3-storey canted projecting bay with
mullion and transom windows in each face. To left is the
original range continuation of 2-window range of 4/4 sashes at
first floor, mullion and transom windows to ground floor and
single-mullion and transom window to second floor. Flat
gauged-brick lintels and stone sills throughout. This side of
the range has brick battlemented parapet. Left side of range
masked by c1907 projecting 2-storey flat-roofed extension with
other C20 extension wings beyond.
INTERIOR: painted panelled drawing room incorporating C17 oak
panelling and with mid C19 decorative feature of Royal
portrait medallions and Jacobean-style strapwork plastered
ceiling. C18 staircase with slim balusters, 3 per open tread.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: walls, balustrades and steps to south:
early C20 balustraded terrace extends across the south front
of the house, with steps down to west side to early C19 walls
and gateways enclosing square formal rose garden, with sundial
in centre (qv). Ashlar arcaded balustrading to terrace wall
and steps, in panels spaced by piers with ball-head finials,
set on brick retaining walls. Rose garden walls are brick with
ashlar coping with concave coping steps, and brick gatepiers
surmounted by ball-head finials.
(Country Life: 1946-: 303-348; The Buildings of England:
Pevsner N: Shropshire: Harmondsworth, Middlesex: 1958-: 147).

Listing NGR: SO5413376092

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Henley Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5714636

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)