Description

TEWKESBURY

SO93SW CHURCHILL DRIVE
859-1/3/156 (West side)
04/08/93 Walton House

II

Country house in own grounds, now (Jan 1992) partly surrounded
by later buildings. Late C18 and late C19, the architect for
the original building possibly George Byfield, designer of
Webber House (qv) with which the detailing compares. Flemish
bond brickwork, some ashlar dressings, slate roofs, brick
stacks.
PLAN: a compact symmetrical double-depth block with central
staircase hall to the rear, 2 chimney breasts to each gable
wall, and a lower range added to the S side in late C19,
together with conservatory. The entrance was originally on the
E side, but is now on the W, through the added range.
EXTERIORS: 3 storeys and basement, E front is 1:3:1-windowed,
the middle 3 bays brought forward slightly,and with a one-bay
extension to the left. The principal building has 6-pane
sashes at second floor, with 12-pane at first and ground
floors, but the first bay has doors to a steel escape stair at
first and second floors, and there is one replacement sash at
each of the first and ground floors. All have a central
keystone, and stone cills.
The central bay has a sunk panel to an arched top, at the
ground floor containing a pair of part-glazed French doors
under a 6-pane transom-light in a stone moulded pediment and
eared architrave. A stone modillion cornice returns the full
width of both gable walls, and to the central pediment over
the middle bays.
The later wing to the left has a 2-storey canted bay with
plain sashes, under a moulded stone pediment; the return to
the left is plain, with 5 sashes at first floor. The
conservatory, with an asbestos-cement roof, has a 5-light
round bay with conical roof against a coped gable to the
south, and to the E is in 3 bays with paired lights, the
central one with doors. All the casements have a transom, with
paired small lights above. The brick piers at E and S sides
have modelled capitals with terracotta rosettes.
In the main block the N gable wall is plain, with some blocked
windows, and the S has 4 plain sashes at second floor. The
large stacks have stone modelled cappings, and the curved
gable ends continue between the stacks as a straight parapet,
concealing the central valley roof.
The W front is in 3 storeys with basement, 3-windowed, all to
segmental brick heads and stone cills. Second floor has 9-pane
sashes, and there are large tripartite sashes at first and
second floors; those to the right have a central arched sash
with margin-panes. A tall arched window with geometrical bar
infill lights the central stair, above a small 6-pane light. A
stair descends to the basement, left.
The added bay, right, has a raised parapet with central sunk
stone panel with a shield, above a 12-pane sash in a raised
brick surround with stone cornice-mould and pediment. A
panelled door with radial fanlight has a stone entablature,
and is flanked by small single lights. Behind the parapet the
roof returns with a hipped end.
INTERIOR: mainly of the late C19, with fine contemporary
joinery detailing, including the grand staircase, with square
newels with finials, a moulded and wreathed handrail, open
string, and panelled soffits. The window contains coloured
glass, including a coat of arms with the motto 'Vouloir c'est
pouvoir'. A secondary stair, at the upper level only, has
splat balusters. Many 6-panel doors, some with moulded
surrounds, decorative plastered ceilings, and a full-width set
of sliding panelled doors in the front suite. A front room has
a white marble fire surround. The conservatory, approached
through a pair of doors under a transom-light, is in 3 bays,
and has decorative king-post trusses and ceramic tile floor.
HISTORICAL NOTE: although adapted in recent years to
institutional use, much of the original domestic fabric and
decoration remains in the house, which was once the home of
the Cartland family (see also Cartland Memorial in the Abbey
Churchyard). There was a Walton Spa Pumproom, built in 1835
and demolished 1961, which may account for the large house on
this site. A Nicholas Smithsend lived in Walton House in 1820
(Ross).
(Ross K: The Book of Tewkesbury: London: 1986-: 74/75).

Listing NGR: SO9089432908

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26496966

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
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)