Slade House, Including Attached Boundary Wall, Gatepiers, Gates and Railings, Loose, Kent

Description

LOOSE

1804/0/10020 PICKERING STREET
06-MAR-09 Slade House, including attached bounda
ry wall, gatepiers, gates and railings

II
Large detached property originally a farmhouse, now house. Constructed in the 1830s with some minor mid and later C19 alterations, including a porch. A dated stone of 1845 is reported with the initials WS, thought to be William Skinner.

MATERIALS: Built of local Kentish ragstone with some courses diminishing toward the top and traces of stone galleting, with tooled stone window dressings, quoins and plinth. Hipped tiled roof with stone chimneystacks.

PLAN: L-shaped plan of two storeys, with central staircase, three principal rooms on the ground floor and the north eastern L-wing containing service rooms.

EXTERIOR: The principal front facing west is of three bays and has 16-pane sash windows in reveals. The projecting central glazed wooden porch wih greometrical patterned multicoloured tiled floor was probably added towards the end of the C19. Behind the porch the doorcase has a rectangular fanlight and the door has two lower panels but the upper half is glazed. The south side has two 16-pane sash windows and a French window on the ground floor. The north side has three irregularly-spaced first floor 12-pane sash windows. The ground floor has two 16-pane sash windows, an original door with six flush panels and a further doorcase blocked in Kentish ragstone. Attached to the north wall of Slade House is a Kentish ragstone partially curved wall leading westwards to the street where it terminates at the north end in a taller square ragstone pier with pyramidal cap. To the south is an attached curved section of cast iron spear railings with elaborate scrolled pier and double gates at the north end, terminating in another square Kentish ragstone gate pier with pyramidal cap at the south end.

INTERIOR: The central entrance hall has an elegant curved well staircase with stick balusters, mahogany handrail and scrolled tread ends, a roll-moulded cornice and a series of six-panelled doors. The three principal rooms on the ground floor retain original folding window shutters. The north west room has a deep mid C19 cornice and a late C19 wooden fireplace with built-in display cupboards either side. The south west room has an elaborate mid C19 cornice with grapevine, egg and dart and bead and reel motifs, and acanthus leaf ceiling rose. The smaller south west room retains a narrow roll-moulded cornice. The north eastern kitchen retains a large cambered fireplace opening. The adjoining former scullery has a smaller cambered opening with cast iron kitchen range and a brick floor. The cellar retains two round-headed alcoves, two wide ledged plank doors and a lockable slatted wooden enclosure with a narrower plank door. The first floor has a wide landing with deep cornice and several six-panelled doors. Bedrooms have cornices with reeded designs, two early C19 wooden fireplaces with pilasters survive and one bedroom has built-in cupboards with panelled doors flanking the fireplace. There is a rear service staircase with stick balusters. Some bedrooms on the north east side have C20 subdivisions.

HISTORY: This house appears on the Tithe Award map of 1837. There is reported to be a date of 1845 on the facade with the initials WS for William Skinner. The Skinner family were quarry owners from Brishing. The house is shown on the 1885 Ordnance Survey map with its current outline but is not named. It was the farmhouse, related to farm buildings to the immediate north east, one of which comprised oasthouses. The outline of the property is unchanged on the 1897 Ordnance Survey map, except that a conservatory was added to the south east (since demolished) and it is called Olive House. For a time in the later C20 the building was in use as a boarding house.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
* Slade House was constructed by 1837, on Tithe Award evidence, and has a symmetrical classical style front with 16-pane sash windows.
* It is constructed of well-crafted Kentish ragstone with some galleting and tooled dressings.
* Original internal fittings include a curved staircase, six-panelled doors, original window shutters and wooden bedroom fireplaces.
* It is a substantially intact 1830s house despite a later C19 porch, some later cornices and built-in cupboards.
* The plan form is unaltered, apart from the subdivision of some minor first floor rooms.

Reasons for Listing

Slade House is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Slade House was built by 1837 on Tithe Award evidence and has a symmetrical Classical front with 16-pane sash windows.
* It is constructed of well-crafted Kentish ragstone, with some galleting and tooled dressings.
* Interior features include an elegant original curved staircase, some six-panelled doors, original window shutters and two wooden bedroom fireplaces.
* It is a substantially intact 1830s house despite a later C19 porch, some later cornices and built-in cupboards.
* The plan of the building has not altered since the 1885 Ordnance Survey map, apart from the subdivision of some minor first floor rooms.

External Links

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