Description

SU 71 SW HORNDEAN PORTSMOUTH ROAD

9/29 Merchistoun Hall

II

House. Early C19 house, with internal alterations of c1830 and with late C19 concert
hall extension and 1920s service wing. Stuccoed with incised lines to imitate
masonry and hipped slate roof (with 5 hips to rear). Cemented chimneystacks.
2 storeys. 5 windows. Five 1920s mullioned and transomed casements with leaded
lights replacing 9-pane sashes on first floor. Taller mullioned and transomed
windows to ground floor but some may originally have been French windows. Central
doorcase retains early C19 fanlight with rectangular moulded architrave, fans in
corners and round-headed fanlight with thin Gothic glazing bars. C20 door. Later
C19 colonnade of 12 Tuscan columns and 1920s tiled roof sweeping round side
elevation where there are 4 columns. Left side elevation has 2 French windows to
ground floor. Right side elevation has a French window with original shutters and
2 first floor C19 casements. Later C19 stuccoed concert hall extension with slate
roof to north west and 1920s painted brick service wing to north east. Interior
contains a hall with two c1830 6-panelled doors with reeded surrounds with lions
mask paterae and arched reeded entrance to staircase hall, also reeded, with lions
head paterae and elliptical fanlight with 6-panelled double doors. Fine early C19
well staircase with 3 iron stick balusters to each tread and every third tread has
iron balusters with paterae. Scrolled tread ends and mahogany handrail. 3 early
C19 6-panelled doors to ground floor of staircase hall, 1 on half landing and six
to first floor. Some 1920s mantelpieces, not of special interest. The earliest
reference to the building is of 1804 when the land is known to have been owned by
a Joseph Franklin. Between 1812 and 1836 it was known as Quallet's Grove and was
owned by Colonel James Conway. Between 1836 and 1860 it was the home of Admiral
Sir Charles Napier famous for the Battle of Cape Vincent in 1833 and for the capture
of Acre. The house was renamed Merchistoun Hall after his birthplace in
Stirlingshire.

Listing NGR: SU7002112883

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26405560

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)