Description

SO 81 SE HARESCOMBE -

6/92 Hilles House and terraced gardens

10.1.55

II*

Large country house. Built from 1914 to 1939; by Detmar Blow for
himself. Coursed and squared rubble limestone; ashlar dressings;
ashlar chimneys with moulded caps; stone slate roof (formerly
thatched). Single long range projecting from hill side; 2-storey
with attic; attached outbuildings at east end. South front: almost
symmetrical but incomplete at east end; 3 parapet gables, those to
centre and left with gable chimney, to right with stone cross;
between gables boldly projecting octagonal 2-storey bay windows
with parapet roofs; at centre projecting single-storey porch with
curved pediment; round-arched doorway with imposts and keystone
within panelled and moulded front; pair of small-paned glazed round
arched porch doors. Fenestration consists entirely of mullioned
small-paned metal casements with 4-centred arched heads; pair of 2-
light casements under separate flat hoodmould to upper floor of
gables, 2 gables having oval attic window, third with single arched
casement; two 3-light windows under continuous hood moulding to
ground floor at each end of elevation; 4 gabled roof dormers; large
circular arched carriage doorway with imposts and keystone in
single-storey continuation of south front to east; pair of niches
with shell hoods form end of high level terrace. West end:
parapet-gabled with ridge chimney; large central octagonal bay
windows to ground floor, standing on tall base resulting from
falling slope; three 2-light casements above with separate moulded
hoods; 2 attic ovals. Very high buttressed terrace retaining wall
projects at angle from south west corner; 2 buttresses hollowed out
to form look-outs; drainage openings in face of retaining wall have
appearance of cannon-ports. North side: asymmetrical with large
central projecting gabled staircase wing; to left in angle
rectangular bay window with angled corners building up to form low
3-storey tower; continuous mullioned windows to lower storeys; 5-
light mullioned window to tower room; full gable to right of
staircase wing; all fenestration 4-centred arched except in tower.
Terrace in west angle of wing, with retaining wall extended to
north to large terraced lawn; gateway breaks wall adjacent to
house.
Interior restored after fire destroyed original thatched roof in
1940. Classically inspired stone fireplaces; panelled timber
screen with detached Doric columns; plain board and flagstone
floors; and plain boarded ceilings all illustrate Blow's curious
stylistic combination of Jacobean classical and traditional
vernacular sources (see Country life). Orientation of house is to
achieve maximum dramatic effect, reinforced by restless composition
of C16 motifs. Siting results in distant views across Vale of
Gloucester; house has considerable landscape impact when viewed
from the vale. (C. Aslet, The Last Country Houses, 1982; articles
in Country Life, 7th and 14th September 1940; and D.Verey,
Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979.)

Listing NGR: SO8513012105

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537854

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

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)