Description

59/0/10066
26-OCT-01

GEORGE ROAD
Four Acres and attached terrace, wall and steps

II

Large house, later management training centre. Built in 1929, architect George Warren in Vernacular Revival style. Built of narrow bricks with occasional blocks of stone, tiles on edge and pebbles inserted, parts are timber-framed with plastered or herringbone brick infill and tile-hanging to the first floor of the service wing. Tiled roofs with a series of hips and gables with some carved bargeboards and five tall brick ribbed chimneystacks. An asymmetrical building of two storeys with irregular fenestration, all windows are late C20 casements to original design in original brick or wooden frames. Decorative rainwater heads. The late C20 extension to the north is not of special interest.
EXTERIOR: North or entrance front end right bay has brick ground floor with four-light mullioned and transomed window and is tile-hung above with four-light casement. There is a timber-framed gable with herringbone brick infill with recessed angled doorway with four-centred arch, carved panel and spandrels with Tudor rose and double doors with deep panels and decorative ironmongery. The doorway is flanked by two one storey hipped projections, timber-framed with plastered infill and diagonal braces. The adjoining bay to the left has a brick ground floor and timber-framed first floor with large 7:3:3 casement window lighting staircase and 2-light window below. This is followed by a projecting hipped bay of brick with 5-light window supported on brackets and two 2-light windows below. Recessed part to the left is service wing which has three projecting hips. The first floor is tile-hung with 4 casement windows. The ground floor is timber-framed with diagonal braces and four casements.
South or garden front has a right side service wing which has three hipped dormers, a tile-hung first floor with five casements, one supported on three brackets, with ground floor of brick with five casements and two-light window in brick surround. Left hand side has brick ground floor and timber-framed first floor with pattern of diagonal braces and herringbone brick infill. It includes two large projecting timber-framed gables with patterns of diagonal braces and plastered infill with carved bargeboards with pendant, large 6:4 casements and overhang on brackets to ground floor with has 7-light mullioned and transomed casements. The recessed part has a hipped four-light dormer, the first floor two 3-light casements and the ground floor three double doors. The remainder of this front to the left has a hipped 3-light dormer, 5-light oriel on brackets to first floor and 4-light mullioned and transomed window in brick surround to ground floor. Wide entrance with six arches to fanlight and double doors.
West side has two ranges, the southern range timber-framed with mainly herringbone brick infill and carved bargeboards with finials. One 3-light casement to attic, two to first floor. Ground floor has red brick piers and recessed doors with 12 arched fanlights and three sets of double doors. To the north is a set back smaller gabled range, the ground floor of red brick, the first floor tile-hung with two casements to first floor and 5-light bay to ground floor with lead cornice with grape pattern.
East side has a gable end with brick ground floor and tile-hanging above and one storey brick enclosing wall with tiled parapet.
Attached to the west and south front is a low brick terrace wall with stone coping, brick and stone paving and a flight of stone steps, all part of the original design.
INTERIOR: The Lounge rises to the full height of the building with panelling to the lower part, a three bay crownpost roof with square crownposts and head braces, open gallery with moulded balusters and brick Baronial style open fireplace with niches and carved seats. The Dining Room has deep fielded panelling of early C18 type but there is a recessed brick chimneypiece with tile pattern and elaborate keystone set in four-centred arch with pilasters and panels of linenfold panelling. Double doors lead to two smaller rooms with plastered ceilings, one of which has had a later C20 bar inserted. The Main Staircase is a well staircase in Jacobean style with elaborate carved balusters and square newel posts with pyramidal caps supported on four wooden balls. There is also a Reading Room with original curved brick fireplace with unusual decoration of pebbles and moulded cornice and a Billiard Room with plastered ceiling with strapwork panels, timber alcove, arched openings, balusters above doors and window seats.

Included as a fine example of the 1920s' vernacular revival style.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26669085

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.

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