Description

SWALLOWFIELD FARLEY HILL ROAD
SU 76 SE
(north side)
12/30
Farley Hall (formerly listed
1.8.52
as Farley Hill Place)
G.V. I
Large country house on high ground, in parkland with fine views to the
west across a lake. The landscape has been ascribed to the landscape
gardener Charles Bridgeman. c1730 for John Walter; extended C19. Brick
with hipped old tile roofs of differing heights. Rectangular plan;
the centre and oldest part is 7 bays, connected on each side by 2 bay
links to lower 4-bay pavilions. 2 storeys and cellars. Plinth, moulded
string at first floor level, string above first floor windows, and
panelled parapet with stone urns in corners. Sash windows with glazing
bars and segmental heads. The cupola is circular on plan with 4 arched
windows divided by coupled Doric columns, entablature with triglyph
frieze, ogee lead dome, ball finial and wrought iron weather vane.
East front main block:- 3 projecting centre bays, sashes 4 panes high
on first floor, 6 on ground floor; bull's eye windows, some blocked, to
cellars. In centre of projection is a tall half-glazed entrance door
in architrave surround and doorcase of composite columns on small plinths
supporting entablature with enriched bolection frieze. The door is
approached by 2 moulded stone steps with cast lead vases on outer corners.
2 bays similar on either side, and flanking these are 2 linking bays to
lower 4 bay outer projecting pavilions at either end with moulded first
floor string, moulded painted wooden eaves cornice and hipped roof.
Each has 4 bays of narrow windows on east front and 3 bays facing inwards.
The right hand wing has C19 brick quadrant connection in angle. West front:-
central projection of 3 bays, central doorcase on ground floor, nearly
similar to that on east front but with Roman Ionic columns, entablature
with plain frieze and bracketed cornice, standing on a wide flight of
stone steps with stone balustrade curving outwards at the base, leading
on to a grassed terrace. The projection is flanked by 2 bays and a further
2 bays linking to the pavilion wings as on the east front. To the right is
a further 6 bays C19 extension. Interior:- on the ground floor the
entrance hall which is the main feature of the house is nearly square and
reaches the whole height of the house. The bedrooms are reached by a
gallery along 3 sides and above the cupola is open with a wind indicator
underneath. The enriched plastered ceiling round the cupola is painted with
mythological scenes by Lanscroon (Pevsner) and Nicholas Lancret (V.C.H.)
On the back wall at first floor level are five painted rural scenes put
in much later by J.F. Nollekens. Other features of interest in the hall
area fireplace in architrave surround with side scrolls, entablature with
carved frieze of floral ornament, flanked by 8-panelled doors in surrounds
of architrave, carved frieze, cornice and pediment. Opposite the doors
are 2 niches with architraves swept out to scroll form. Other principal
rooms on the ground floor have fireplaces contemporary with the house.
On the first floor on the south side of the centre part is a Print Room
with a collection of C18 prints in painted frames on all 4 walls.
V.C.H. Vol.III p.268. B.0.E. (Berkshire) p.142.

Listing NGR: SU7501464627

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Farley Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5435431

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

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)