Description

WOODFORD -
SU 13 NW
8/240 Heale House
10.1.53
I
Large house, 1670-1700 for Robert Hyde, incorporating parts of
house of 1571 for Gerard Errington, greatly extended 1898-1910 by
Detmar Blow and Billerey for the Hon Louis Greville. Flemish bond
brickwork with stone dressings on flint chequerwork sills. Lead
and tiled roofs. Two storeys, cellars and attics. Southern end a
C17 five-bay house returning approximately 4 bays, considerably
extended to north after 1894 to provide a symmetrical west front of
9 bays, and large drawing room added to east. Minor alterations to
north front in C20. South front has quoined central bay with
pediment, set forward. Glazed door in moulded stone surround with
broken pediment. Moulded stone cross windows of c1900 replace
sashes. Roof hipped. West front has 3 central bays with central
boarded door in stone architrave and triangular pediment. Stone
cross windows, those to ground floor with cornices. Niche central
on first floor. Short forward wings either side, with blind arched
niche on ground floor with broken pediment, cross windows above and
steeply gabled pediment. Facade mostly by Blow, reworking the
earlier building from central door to right. Two end bays each
side also have cross windows, but left bay has projecting stone
stair tower, being client's alteration to Blow's design. Four
hipped dormers and brick stacks. North front similar, the tall
entrance door and eared bolection moulded doorcase with frieze
over, moved C20. Eastern drawing room block is of 5 bays, central
3 bays quoined, and very tall doorcase with scrolled broken
pediment.
Interior: Entrance hall has plaster ceiling with pendants by
Jacksons, strapwork design leading through to main stair hall, with
excellent mid C17 oak stair with heavy turned balusters and ball
finials, possibly from London. Painted ceiling in mid C18 mode.
Panelling from Newport Pagnell. Sitting Room to left, early C18
panelling and stone fireplace. East drawing room has carved wood
caryatid fireplace in wide recess flanked by Corinthian columns.
Elaborate cornice. Ceiling dome removed C20 and pediments over
doorways etc. Design by Blow based on Lord Aberconway's House in
North Audley Street, London. Office at end of stair hall has
French baroque panelling and ceiling by Jacksons in C18 style.
South west room has fine stone chimneypiece and plaster ceiling.
Dining Room has wood carved overmantel, believed to be original
from small panelled room, and pendant strapwork plaster ceiling by
Jacksons. First floors in concrete. The house is set amid
outstanding gardens by Harold Peto, with stone balustrades and
various walls and structures including Tea House and Japanese
bridge (q.q.v.). The house occupies a site of an earlier house,
where Charles II stayed following the Battle of Worcester (1651)
pending his flight to France.
(R.E.D.A. 1911; Country Life, February 27 1915; Original plans in
British Museum; Pevsner: Buildings of England, WILTSHIRE; RCHM
No 54298)

Listing NGR: SU1285736405

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Heale House official website
• Wikidata Q17529558

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

• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback