Description

SX 79 SE CHERITON BISHOP VENBRIDGE HILL

10/53 Venbridge House and Cottage

II

Small mansion with estate offices, now house and adjoining cottage. Said to date
from 1797, enlarged and altered externally in mid C19. Stuccoed rubble with
exposed brick stacks to main block; slate roofs. South-facing main block of 2
storeys with attics and flanking 2-storey crosswings set back from front and
projecting to rear. The main block is double depth with large front rooms and
narrow rear rooms, central cross passage with stairs off to right. Stacks in end
walls. Service wing to left with massive central azial stack was rebuilt in mid
C19 and estate offices in right wing (audit room over store) added at same time.
Symmetrical 3-window front to main block: central 6-panel door with panelled
reveals flanked by large tripartite timber sashes with 12-pane centre sashes; first
floor with shorter tripartite sashes with 9-pane centres (3-pane top sashes)
flanking simple 9-pane sash; projecting eaves on shaped brackets and 2 gabled roof
dormers with 16-pane sashes projecting from low-pitched roof, hipped each side. 7-
bay verandah across front has open wooden trelliswork supporting tented roof.
West wing (left of centre) presents hipped roof with central gable over large
triangular headed C20 replaced timber casement (ground floor window and door behind
C20 lean-to greenhouse) and gable-ended east wing over original C19 timber casement
window with C20 conservatory across ground floor. All gables with plain
bargeboarding surmounted by finial and pendant. Rear elevation includes some west
windows with original glazing. 2 window side elevation with gables over to west
wing and wooden belfry on the ridge behind the rendered stack. Well-preserved
interior. Open well stair has closed string decorated with simple applied
repeating lozenges, mahogany handrail, stick balusters, curtail step and scrolled
wreaths with inset marquetry stars on top. Painting in drawing room shows house
before mid C19th renovation with smaller service wing projecting from right side,
no east wing, and main block with verandah and same window arrangement but plain
parapet and roof dormers with hipped roofs.

Listing NGR: SX7749094003

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26399892

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

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)