Description

TL 31 SW BRICKENDON LIBERTY BRICKENDON LANE
(East side)

1/37 Brickendon Bury
24.11.66

GV II

Country house, now laboratories and offices. Early C18 for Thomas Clarke
on moated site. Rear S and E parts c.1760 for Morgan family. Alterations
and W service wing early C19 for William Dent. Alterations and central
tower 1885-6 for Charles Grey Hill and probably the free-standing porte
couchere. Modernised for George Pearson in 1890's and extensively altered
and extended c.1909 for Sir Edward Pearson, civil engineer (upper parts
of W end S fronts and Jacobean Room). By 1919 the estate has its own
electric generator, telephone, central heating and fire station. Used as
prep school when in 1939 became HQ of Special Operations Executive
(Europe) and visited by Sir Winston Churchill. After war HQ National
Agricultural Advisory Service up to late 1960's. Purchased 1971 by
present owners Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association. Original
house red brick with stone quoins and giant order pilasters to front,
now brickwork stuccoed and all extensions. Bath stone porte couchere.
Slate hanging to gabled dormers on E and half timbering on S. 3
parallel-ridged slate roofs. 2-storeys and attics house set in parkland
on ancient moated site facing North with long avenue extending to
Hertford on main axis. 9-windows N front has windows 2:1:3:1:2 with
taller Corinthian pilasters, and higher cornice to middle bay, carrying
a triangular pediment with circular window. Balustrade and parapet with
dies over entablature of outer bays are a later addition. 1st floor band
and rusticated quoins. Tall, slightly recessed box sashes with 6/6 panes
on 1st floor and 9/1 on ground floor. Central small timber porch links
to single-storey 3-bays stone arcaded Doric porte couchere on axis.
Lower 2-storeys parapeted service wing set back on W, and tall square
stucco tower with balustrade and arched chimneys central on each side,
S-front 9 windows long with sashed wide dormers, central canted bay and
Tuscan stone colonnade or loggia along whole front. Blind boxes to 1st
floor 6/1 panes sash windows. French windows to ground floor. Interior
has 2-storeys entrance hall with gallery, 4 rooms with gilt plaster
decoration to walls cornices and decorative plaster ceilings in Adam
style. Fine moulded mahogany 6-panels doors and staircase (renewed).
(VCH (1912)409: Kelly (1914)135: Pevsner (1977)110: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL3304210424

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26631231

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

• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)