Description

TQ 65 SW HADLOW ASHES LANE

3/10002 North Frith House
GV II Large house, later training centre. Built in 1889 by the local architect George Friend for Thomas Boyd, the "Bacon King" of Chicago. Winter Garden with gazebo above added before 1897, either by Friend or another architect. Vinery drastically altered for conference facilities in late C20. Vernacular Revival style of red brick with sandstone dressings, decorated with timberframing, tilehanging and terracotta plaques to the gables and clay tiled roof with clustered brick chimneystacks. Asymmetrical building of two storeys and attics with mullioned and transomed casements. L-shaped plan. North or entrance front has principal rooms to right and service wing to left. Roof has central octagonal cupola with tiled base, wooden arches and ogee-shaped lead roof with metal finial. Central projecting one storey entrance porch with crenellated parapet, ramped up over arch with plaque with entwined initials of owner. Large gable with diagonal timberframing set back behind and projecting gable to right side. This front terminates in gable with stepped external stack. Service wing has set back gable with fishscale tiles to right and terminates to left in single storey L-shaped block with pitched roof and tall chimneystack. The original part of the south or garden elevation has six projecting bays to the principal rooms. To the left an octagonal corner turret with terracotta plaques above first floor windows and elaborate iron weathervane. The following three bays to the right have central projecting large gable flanked by smaller curved gables which have wooden balustrading. Recessed French window to right. Adjoining to right is projecting three storey gable with timberframing to upper part of gable and dateplaque of 1889. Return has elaborate external stack, crenellated above ground floor, attached to four storey tower with crenellated parapet. Set back one and two storey service wing with gabled timberframed shelter terminating in square probable former game larder with pyramidal roof with metal finial and crenellated larder. To the left of the octagonal tower is the former Winter Garden erected prior to 1897 which filled in an L-shaped angle. One storey in red brick, parapet of brick and pierced stone panels with ball finials. All windows are three tier stone mullioned casements. The corner has an unusual first floor large gazebo in Mughal style with wooden mullioned windows with floral stained glass to the upper parts and lead ogee-shaped dome with elaborate finial. Attached to the house on the east by a brick arch is the former Vinery, part of the 1889 design but extensively altered in the late C20 and retaining only internal brick and stone piers. The principal rooms have a complete interior of the period. The Staircase Hall rises through two floors lit by a large window with leaded lights. Oak well staircase with carved wooden newel post and balusters rises to galleried landing and the fielded panelling rises to two storey height. A heavily carved Tudorbethan style wooden overmantel with a fire surround of stone and brick holds a C19 painting of a religious subject after Corregio, signed M Mangepay. The ceiling panels above the staircase are painted with a decorative border of swags and festoons, probably the work of trade decorators c1890. The three central panels with classical figures, probably representing "Night" and "Day", may be amateur work of a slightly later date and are signed Coe. The Gun room to the left of the Lobby has an C18 red marble bolection moulded fireplace installed by 1914 and original cast iron safe. The adjoining Smoking Room has two segmental arched recesses flanking a massive carved oak Tudorbethan style fireplace with pilasters, scrolling foliage and birds. The Dining room and Ante-Chamber has a massively carved overmantel set with a painted highland scene signed AB '67, recessed buffet bay and recessed fireplace with a massively carved overmantel with twin shield bearing the entwined initials ETBL and an inset earlier rectangular panel carved with cornucopia and grotesquerie. Windows contain C19 stained glass panels with flower motifs. Drawing Room has geometric pattern plaster ceiling and massive baronial style fireplace with carved paired pilasters and an acanthus frieze. Stained glass panels with floral motifs of c1890. Billiard Room had its windows blocked when the Winter Garden was added but on the Winter Garden side are six late C19 stained glass panels illustrating sporting pursuits. Original back door survives behind winter Garden with geometrical stained glass. The Winter Garden and gazebo above have upper lights of windows with floral stained glass panels. First floor bedroom over Dining room Antechamber has a painted ceiling panel with putti in a decorative plaster frame and plaster wall panels in the manner of a French boudoir. The south west corner bedroom partially within the C19 octagon tower has a lantern ceiling. Further stained glass with floral panels. Painted wooden service staircase with stick balusters. Roof of queenpost construction. Brick cellars.

Listing NGR: TQ6242949383

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26558785

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair