Description

RICHARDS CASTLE

SO57SW Moor Park
482-1/9/151

GV II

Country house, now school. c1740-50 core, remodelled and
extended 1873-76. Brick, red gauged brick, terracotta and red
stone facings and steep tiled, hipped roofs. Scattered
panelled brick ridge chimneys, many reduced and with C20
capping. Queen-Anne-style with gauged brick pilasters,
embellished lintels, sills and plinth. Painted modillion eaves
with enriched brick Dutch gables fronting attic windows.
PLAN: extended main range aligned north-south with large wings
running east and north from the north-east corner.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, attic and basement. Entrance (west) front
is a 13-window range disposed 1:2:2:3:2:2:1. Central entrance
bay slightly advanced and the outer pair of windows forming
projecting wings. 1/1 C19 sashes except for mullion and
transom windows flanking projecting entrance porch at ground
level. Porch with round-headed openings, pilasters with Doric
entablature, balustrade incorporating pediment with tympanum
incorporating arms of Foster family. Large Dutch gable above
entrance bay in 2 stages with 2-light casement flanked by
pilasters, niches and scrolls on lower stage, upper stage with
crest incorporating arms of Salwey and Foster families flanked
by double pilasters and ball finials. Smaller Dutch gables
project from hipped roofs above projecting wings: 2-light and
single-light casements with fanlights, flanked by pilasters
with ball finials and scrolls. Segmental-roofed dormers with
2-light casements between Dutch gables. Right return: 5-window
range of 1/1 C19 sashes disposed 3:2, the left bays slightly
advanced with Dutch gable over and masked at ground level by
projecting bay window with 1/1 sashes on all 3 sides.
Segmental-roofed dormer to right and glazed doors with top
light at ground level.
Rear (south): 11-window range disposed 1:2:2:3:2:1, partly
masked to right by rear wing extending to east. Rear mirrors
the front except that gauged brick quoins replace pilasters,
the central advanced bay has modillioned pediment with brick
tympanum with oval-shaped multi-pane casement, 3 mullion and
transom windows, with the same at ground floor all with leaded
lights, flanking ornate brick doorcase with scrolled-apex
pediment. Left return: 5-window range disposed 4:1 with
advanced bay to right with small Dutch gable over. Hipped
dormer to left. Ground floor to left masked by single-storey
extension. Rear wing to east: 7-window range of the same date
and style as the main range. Wing to north: 6-window range of
slightly later date and with reduced brick embellishment.
Circular stair turret on west side with conical tiled roof
capped with spire on open octagonal arcade.
INTERIOR: entrance hall is oak-panelled; embossed leather
wall-covering to staircase. C18 oak dogleg staircase with
curtail step, toadback handrail and tapered column on vase
balusters. To south is music room (now school chapel) 18
metres long with complete late C19 moulded panelling. Late C19
carved stone staircase at north end of main range with carved
stone balustrade and incorporating 2 plinths at the foot with
marble portrait busts of Mr and Mrs John Foster, the parents
of Johnston J. Foster, the owner responsible for the
rebuilding.

Listing NGR: SO5011471396

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26663626

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)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)