History

Built in 1872-74, to the designs of Thomas Henry Wyatt. The house was built for Phillip Pearson Pennant. The date 1874 appears on the chimney at left of the front elevation, and in painted glass over the main staircase; two crests associated with the Pennant family appear in these locations. The house is described by Hubbard as a 'very complete example of Victorian country house planning and its complexities'.

Exterior

A Victorian country house predominantly in Elizabethan style but with some Gothic detailing, in red brick with stone dressings, with two subsidiary single storey service ranges at west end. There are three principal elevations, to north, east and south, all in carefully composed asymmetry. The main part is of two storeys plus an attic. Slate roofs with coped red brick gables; hipped-roofed attic windows in the western part of the main range; sets of brick chimney stacks set diagonally on single plinths. The windows are of the sash type, set between stone mullions and running behind stone transoms.

The main elevation is to the north[-east], in seven bays: from the left this consists of firstly a lateral brick chimney breast with Pennant crests; secondly the main entrance through a stone porch with hipped roof, sidelight, 4-centred arches supported by columns with capitals in early Gothic style and a Tudor arched doorway with two doors of three panels each and overlight. Above the porch is a two-light transomed and mullioned gabled window with finial. The third and fifth bays each have similar upper windows but with hipped roofs over, each flanking a wider gabled fourth bay with five-light window with two transoms in front wall of ground floor rectangular projection, with three-light transom window on first-floor and with small two-light attic window in apex of gable. The sixth and seventh bays with common hipped roof with terra-cotta finials; each with a two-light hipped-roofed attic window; sixth bay with three-light transomed and mullioned window on both ground and first floors and seventh bay with two-light transomed ground and first floor windows.

The garden (south[-west]) elevation of the house is in similar style; there is a small polygonal conservatory with gablets against garden the entrance bay (added, but at early date); this covers a Tudor style rear doorway. At the front there are two main parts to the elevation: a two-window left part of 2½ storeys, with hipped attic windows and a four-window right part with a small attic gable to left and a larger gable to right. Mullion and transom windows incorporating sashes.

Irregular east-facing end elevation with very large canted-sided single-storey bay window at left, followed by two windows above and below, the first with a small gable, at right a larger gable with five-light windows above and below.

Single storey western projections on both front and rear, with slate hipped roof with gablets. That to the north is a game larder with a central square louvered turret with pyramidal roof; central three-light mullion window with a flanking two-light mullion window to each side.

Interior

The front and rear main entrances are linked by a corridor through the staircase hall, off which the main staircase rises to the side. At left is the library, with double doors leading to the drawing room to its rear; at right is the dining room.

The library has two fluted Tuscan columns in pine between pilasters defining its entrance area. Original bookshelves. Marble fireplace with surrounding mould and small panelling over. There is a connecting round-headed doorway from the library to the drawing room, incorporating panelled pine doors the tops of which are formed as quadrants decorated with radiating flutes. The drawing room has a panelled ceiling with circular and octagonal motifs, panelled dado, panelled white marble fireplace with Gothick motifs.

The dining room has a panelled ceiling with cornice featuring small modillions. Black marble fireplace, in similar Gothic style to that in the dining room. The hall has a staircase with closed strings, pineapple newels, twisted balusters, and a three-light window with stained glass and two transoms; partly glazed staircase hall roof and three rusticated arches each to two sides of the gallery landing.

Reasons for Listing

A large country house by T H Wyatt, which has preserved its original character.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29481838

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)