Description

WOLVERHAMPTON

SO89NE BIRCHES BARN ROAD
895-1/4/371 (South West side)
02/03/92 Beckminster House

II

Large house now teachers' centre. c1845, altered. For John
William Sparrow, a local iron-master. Red brick with ashlar
dressings and blue-brick diaper work; patterned red and blue
tile roof. 2 storeys and attic; asymmetrical 4-bay front to
double-depth plan with central stair-hall. Tudor Revival
style. Chamfered plinth; ashlar quoins; square-headed,
mullioned and transomed windows mostly with hoodmoulds. Ashlar
porch, near centre, has double-chamfered, 2-centred arch with
carved hoodmould stops and blind-traceried spandrels; stained
glass to lancet windows in each return; parapet with
roll-moulded copings which step over a blank shield. Bay 4
projects and is gabled: 3-light windows set within diaperwork,
2-light window to attic. To left of porch are two single-light
windows to each floor, cross-window above porch. Bay 1 is also
gabled and has lateral stack with quoins and offsets; the
chimney shafts missing. Both gables with kneelers and copings;
the main roof between has 2 roof dormers and 2 ornate stacks
to the ridge and others to rear. Rear: ashlar bay-window to
ground floor on left. Projection on right with corbelled
corner details and gabled half-dormer to hipped roof with iron
finial. Right return: 5 bays, the gabled centre breaks forward
and has a transomed 3-light stair-window with Gothic Revival
tracery and leaded lights.
INTERIOR: Gothic Revival wooden staircase with spiral-turned
balusters linked by cusped arches under a moulded handrail;
square newels with sunken panels and with finials and
pendants. Stair-hall has painted ashlar fireplace with shield,
ribbons and sunken quatrefoils. Principal rooms to front-right
and rear-right have excellent fireplaces; one has iron grate
with tile insets in white marble surround with 2-centred arch
and traceried spandrels; the other of dark crinoidal limestone
and in similar style. 1st floor: octagonal ceiling panel on
landing; several marble fireplaces with shields.

Listing NGR: SO8997897198

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26497473

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)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy