Description

TL 41 SE HIGH WYCH HIGH WYCH LANE
(west side)
High Wych Village

6/2 The Manor of Groves
(Formerly Grove Lodge)
-
- II

Country house. Early C19 remodelling of an earlier house,
probably for Thomas Nathaniel Williams, the owner in 1823 (VCH
(1912) 339), at the manorial centre of lands belonging to Reading
Abbey up to the Dissolution. Stucco neo-classical house with
hipped slate roofs, set in a small park, facing S. Large 2
storey pavilions appear to have been added to each end of a lower
and earlier, 3 storey centre and the whole fronted by a
continuous projecting stone loggia or 'colonnade' after the
manner of Henry Holland's remodelling of Southill House, Beds
(1796-1800). W pavilion contains a high kitchen with a bedroom
over: E pavilion formerly contained the diningroom, entrance
hall and staircase with the drawing-room probably on the 1st
floor. This wing was altered and sympathetically extended
northwards c.1904 possibly by Alfred Burr FRIBA (signed survey
plan of house). The semicircular Ionic E porch, shown on old
photographs c.1914 in the house, no longer exists. The long S
front has 3 casement windows along the central part and 2 sash
windows to each pavilion. The Doric colonnade of 8 bays obscures
the lower storey. It has fine Portland stone columns said to be
from London Bridge, and the entablature and balustrade with die
over each column is in a yellow stone. The loggia is paved in
grey and white marble, and has had the column spacing adjusted
next to the E pavilion to accommodate a glazed timber screen.
Chanelled plaster pilasters in the central section are
differently spaced and suggest an earlier loggia confined to this
part. Hipped roofs of pavilions have a broad eaves overhang with
paired brackets to the painted soffit. Recessed sash windows
with 6/6 panes on each floor. Lower centre has 3, hipped dormers
breaking through eaves, and 3-light wooden casement windows with
small panes on the 1st floor. Entrance front on E has channelled
rustication to the lower floor with round-headed windows each
with a recessed arch and with a sunk panel below. 2-light wooden
casements with margin lights and heavy central meeting rails.
Elliptical-coved head to doorway diminishes to semicircular inner
doorway between slender fluted Greek Doric columns in the angles.
Flanking tapered pilasters and semicircular step remain from
earlier external stone porch. Smooth stucco upper part has
projecting moulded window surrounds to the tall sash windows with
6/6 panes. Originally this facade was of 3 widely spaced windows
with the entrance door below the righthand window. The extension
to the N has produced a 6-window elevation with the original door
still in the centre, but more closely spaced new matching windows
to the right on each floor. Glazed double doors with
semicircular fanlight and elaborate arrangement of folding
shutters on the inside. Shallow additions in painted brick in
service court at rear (N). At W end of loggia a small single
storey slate and stucco billiard room with very large 3-sided
canted wooden bay window on S with sashes. A C19 building on W
end is higher, with a serrated northlight roof. Elaborate
interior has unusual cantilevered stair in hardwood, in sub-
rectangular stairwell, lit by a tall sash window with margin
lights. Moulded, panelled doors curved on plan, at the angles of
the Ground floor, with round-headed niches at the half-landing,
flanking the door to the older part of the house. Modillioned
plaster cornices with paterae. Carved white marble fire
surrounds in drawing-room and bedroom over (S rooms of E
pavilion). A fine neo-classical small country house.

Listing NGR: TL4591414728

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Manor of Groves at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q24993728

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 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)