Description

CHESTER CITY (EM)

SJ46NW DOWNSWOOD DRIVE
1932-1/2/74 Downswood
14/10/91

II

Detached house. 1887-8. Probably by Samuel Hill Holme. Ruabon
red brick dressed in stone and terracotta with red tile roof.
Vernacular Revival style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 4 bays. Arched 6-panel double doors of
oak in projecting porch with stone lower storey inscribed
"Fine que cui vide: in Domine confido: 1887:1888". Brick
mullioned and stone transomed leaded windows with ogee-arched
heads, of 4 lights in right bay and recessed stair-bay left of
doorway, then a canted half-bay window against return to left
bay which has 4-light window. Carved stone frieze above
entrance; between lower and upper storeys of right and left
bays a double row of ornate brick panels above a terracotta
string; a row of 4 small brick-mullioned leaded lights
surmounted by a row of panels in the entrance bay; 2 rows of
terracotta panels with putti between stair-hall and landing
windows; Ruabon brick pilaster supporting a stone heraldic
beast to each side of a 3-light mullioned and transomed upper
storey right of porch, above porch and to left bay;
crenellated parapet left of porch-bay; a cartouche on each
gable; finials; timber-framed recessed dormer over landing;
shaped Ruabon brick chimneys.
The west garden front has a 7-sided bay window to the front
with ornate leaded stained glass above the stone transom; an
oak-framed tiled-roofed verandah adjoins the bay window; a
4-light mullioned and transomed window under a gable.
The service wing and rear are similar in expression, but
simpler. The right side has a shaped chimney to the front room
expressed as a substantial projecting feature.
INTERIOR: the hall and stair-hall, divided by a screen of 3
round arches have an oak dado and an ornate fireplace and
overmantel. The right front room has an oak dado, tiled
fireplace in ornate surround with panelled overmantel in
basket-arched recess with pilasters; a carved bronze ornate
fireplace and overmantel, panelled bay window alcove, plaster
foliar-and-cupid frieze and foliar patterned plaster ceiling.
The oak open-well closed-string stair has newels,
barley-sugar-on-vase balusters and heavy moulded rails. The
landing has dado-rail and screen of 2 basket arches on fluted
square classical posts. The rear right room has a massive
sandstone fireplace with carved birds to each side of

smoke-hood, boarded dado and 3 arch-braced trusses. Butted
mouldings to door stiles and rails; a simple rear stair.
A good example of a later C19 opulent suburban house.
Building vacant at time of survey (June 1991).

Listing NGR: SJ4019067877

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26656513

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)