Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 28 May 2025 to correct a typo in the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

TL 01 SE
4/94

GREAT GADDESDEN
GADDESDEN ROW (South side)
The Golden Parsonage and garden walls attached on North-East

(Formerly listed as Golden Parsonage)

22.10.52

GV
II*

Country house and attached garden walls. 1705 date (formerly on windvane over entrance: VCH (1908)205) for Thomas Halsey formerly adjoining older house to South East pulled down c.1774, altered c.1760 and in early C19, North West wing dated 1874 on terra cotta panel with crest. Garden walls C18 or earlier. Extensive interior alterations by Waring and Gillows c.1935 (before and after photos in NMR).

Very high quality red brickwork in header bond with gauged and moulded dressings to main house. Low pitched roofs concealed by parapets, slate roof to 1874 block, tiled roofs to North extensions. A large two-storeys square block with giant order grey brick pilasters of Roman Doric clasping each corner with corner entablature, cornice continuous around block surmounted by a moulded parapet. Similar pilaster in middle of six windows East elevation.

More elaborate five-windows South elevation has triglyphs in parapet over each window, stepped keystones, and brick aprons to first floor windows. Plainer four windows Westfront has projecting central brick porch remodelled c.1935 and no keystones to windows. Recessed tall segmental arched sash windows with 9/9 or 6/6 panes, with corbelled sills on East front and cut down to ground on South front. Triple sash window replaces two ground floor windows on East front.

Two-storeys North West wing with two windows to each floor copying those of house, and half octagonal ground floor bay in middle with slate roof. Steep roofed North extension has arcaded loggia to front and tower with blunt pyrammidal roof.

Interior and staircase in early C18 style largely created in c.1935, but incorporates some adapted bolection moulded panelling, some panelled doors of c.1600 with cockspur hinges, and a fireplace with green Wedgewood plaques inset moved here from a demolished pavillion of Gaddesden Place (q.v.) by James Wyatt. White marble fire surround in Dining Room with Ionic pilasters, full entablature and centre block. Roof structure of great interest showing wide-span C18 timber engineering using 12" square oak or chestnut timbers, king-posts, queen-posts, cross-bracing, and painted inscription presumably by carpenter, 'Jo Grove Sept 19: 1766', on one truss. There is an inscription beside the entrance porch outside 'SL 1766'.

Extensive service buildings linked to North East-facing arm of tall garden walls has near South end blocked windows on two storey-levels with flat gauged arches and blocked doorways as if part of the demolished older house. The North part of this wall has very tall, narrow, close-set, blocked windows as if for an orangery, and the walling between has later, blocked, wider windows of C19 character, some intersecting the older blocked windows. (VCH (1908)204-5: Pevsner (1977)151-2: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL0505212525

External Links

• Golden Parsonage at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q14949356

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.

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