Description

1. SHRIVENHAM FARINGDON ROAD
Royal Military College
SU 2489 6/66 21.7.82 of Science,Beckett Hall

II

2.
1830-1 by the Honorary Thomas Liddell after designs by William Atkinson for the 7th
Viscount Barrington in the Elizabethan style of coursed rubble stone with ashlar
dressings and gabled stone tiled roofs with rows, 3 or 4, of tall ashlar stacks.
2 storeys and attic with 3 main fronts and servants hall across the 4th side with full
height hall across the centre. 5 bay E entrance front with a gabled central feature
flanked by octagonal buttresses capped by openwork, ogee-topped stone cupolas. Coped
gable with shoulders and pinnacles, crenellated parapet and corner pinnacles 4 two
light gabled dormers with pinnacles and below 3 light cross-mullioned windows with
hood moulds to sides. Central moulded Tudor arch with carved spandrels and hood
mould. Canted 1st floor oriel bay with the Barrington arms carved in panelled base,
2 light attic windows. 5 bay S front with projecting end gables and centre attic
gable. Similar coping, pinnacles and crenellation to the E gable. 2 dormers and
below, 2 storey large canted bays to each wing panelled between floors, crenellated
above with cross mullioned windows. 3 light centre windows, central 1st floor oriel
and a 2 light attic window above. Symmetrical 5 bay W front with slightly projecting
central gable and an additional projecting gable at the N end. The main range has
3 light cross mullioned windows, a 2 light central attic window and 4 dormers.
Centrally placed ground floor 3 sided bay window with a crenellated top, no windows to
S side, 3 windows to N side. Projecting N end gable similar to gabled wings of S
front but 2 light centre windows to bay rather than 3 light windows. 2 storey N
servant block with attic and E end coped gable with 3 finials.
Inside the ground floor rooms are disposed around 3 sides of the central hall.
Plaster ceilings with moulded square panels, some coved. Moulded plaster bosses at
intersections of ribs. Deeply undercut foliage plaster friezes. Double doors with
Gothic tracery to panels. Fireplaces heavy stone or wood Jacobean style, but some
very fine C18 marble surrounds, possibly from previous house. E front low hall,
billiard room to N, Library to SE corner with Jacobean style former bookcases, fluted
piers with ball finials. Fine late C18 marble fireplace with ox skull centre motif.
S front central saloon, plaster pendentives to ceiling. SW corner drawing room with
fine C18 fireplace with carved fruit and flower swags. W front centre Morning-room
with coved ceiling. Dining-room adjoining with N end serving bay. Hexagonal panels
to ceiling. NW corner office with moulded ceiling.
Central hall, full height with 3-section roof, flat centre glazed. Square panels with
moulded ribs and ornate plaster bosses. 5 bays divided by large curved ribs on
corbels with ornate spandrels. Cornice with moulded bosses and frieze of armorial
panels. 3 1st floor arched openings from N and S passage. Jacobean style wooden
galleries across E and W ends. Formerly elaborate niches in end walls. Moulded Tudor
arched openings to ground floor. Staircase off hall to N, heavy Jacobean style with
octagonal newels. Top skylight with armorial panels.
1st floor fine marble fireplace with winged putti in relief to E front centre room.
Circa 1820-30 marble fireplace to SE corner room, late C18 fireplace to S centre room.

Listing NGR: SU2468389152

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Beckett Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q4878688

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

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings