Description

TQ 09 NE SARRATT GROVE MILL LANE
(Northeast side)
Watford
6/305 The Grove (Formerly listed as Grove
15.11.73 House in the civil parish of Watford
Rural)

GV II*

Country house, now offices. Late C16 origins. Rebuilt c.1720 for W or
C Buck. Altered 1754-61 by M. Brettingham for the Hon T. Villiers.
Extended and altered c.1780 by Sir R. Taylor for Villiers, now 1st Earl
of Clarendon. Raised a storey, altered and extended c.1870-5 by E. Blore
for the 4th Earl. Altered and extended mid C20. Red brick. Slate and
tile roof. Originally probably an H plan reduced to a T with wing to
left of main range in c.1720 rebuild. Right wing rebuilt by Taylor with
new entrance front. 3 storeys. Original S facing entrance front, 2:3:2,
main range articulated by Giant Roman Doric pilasters. Ground floor
French windows with gauged brick cambered heads, central aedicular
surround with double pilasters. Plat band to first floor, glazing bar
sashes with gauged brick cambered heads, stone sills. Cornice to C19
attic storey: small 6 pane sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads,
pilaster strips articulate each bay. To centre a larger round headed
sash with apron panel and key blocked surround in an aedicular frame
with pediment rising above C20 stone coped parapet. Cross axial stacks.
To right and set back slightly is 3 bay block by Taylor. Glazing bar
sashes, flat arched heads, stone sills. Simpler moulded cornice to
attic. Chamfered brick quoins to right return or present entrance front.
1:3:1 with slightly projecting centre. C20 steps up to central brick
porch. Part glazed doors, pilasters and pediment. Flanking round headed
sashes, first floor sashes, simple cornice to attic. Chamfered brick
quoins to outer bays which have slightly projecting ground floor
tripartite sashes with brick mullions, cornices, apron panels. Chamfered
quoins at ends. Projecting left wing with 4 bay re-entrant elevation, 2
storey quadrant in angle, C19 full height bow with 3 windows, ground
floor tripartite sash, 2nd floor outer windows are blind. To left of bow
blind windows on each floor with an attic sash. Another C19 full height
bow with 3 windows to front, ground floor French windows, plat band,
cornice and chamfered brick quoins. Left return 1:2:3:2:1 with
projecting centre and ends. Plinth. Ground floor French windows that to
centre with pilaster and cornice surround, flanking cambered heads. Plat
band to first floor glazing bar sashes with stone sills, cambered heads.
Cornice to attic. Giant Roman Doric angle pilasters articulate central 3
bays. Chamfered brick quoins to end bays. To rear 2 and 3 storey red,
plum and yellow stock brick C19 service ranges with glazing bar sashes,
plat bands, dentilled brick eaves, hipped roofs. Interior: lecture room
chimneypiece, doors and ceiling, library chimneypiece and bookshelves by
Taylor. C20 additions to N not of special interest. (VCH 1908: Pevsner
1977: RCHM Typescript: D. Lovett The Grove Story, 1984).

Listing NGR: TQ0821298789

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Grove at Wikipedia
• The Grove official website
• Wikidata Q7738384

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)