Description

WORLESTON C.P. MAIN ROAD
SJ 65 NE
2/92 Rookery Hall
30 October 1978
GV II

Mansion of early Cl9 origins, extensively altered, late C19, for Baron
William Henry Schroder. Yellow sandstone ashlar with slate roof. 2
storeys and basement 5 bays, including stepped back service wing. The
projecting entrance porch has a semi-circular archivolt and pilasters
to the opening. These are flanked by fluted pilasters, with composite
capitals, which support a first floor balcony with segmental central
projection and openwork balustrade with ball finials. The porch has a
floor of small stone slabs set diagonally and narrow single-light
transome windows, with splayed reveals and leaded glazing. Also a
5-panel half glazed door, flanked by side panels, and surmounted by a
large fanlight. All the glazing is covered by metal grilles based on
scrolls and leaves. North of the porch there is a full height mullion
and triple transome window staircase window flanked by Corinthian
capped pilasters. The service wing has a first floor string course
and stone eaves cornice and part is fronted by a single-storey
octagonal bay with wood casements. South of the porch there is a
single-storey front to the Drawing Room with three stone mullion and
transome windows flanked by ball finial -topped pilasters and
surmounted by an openwork balustrade. There is a 4-light mullion and
transome window at first floor level in this section. The south
end-bay is set forward and has a two-storey, mullion and transome,
canted bay window, with Perpendicular treatment to head, at first
floor level. There is a corbel table at eaves and this section
continues upwards to finish in a wedge shaped pyramid of shaped green
Westmorland slates. The main roof has a stone eaves gutter cornice
and square corner finials with carved vase faces. The Garden Front
(east) has large full height bay windows to Morning and Sitting Rooms
and roof level balustrade. The Salon and Sitting Rooms (south) are
also fronted by a cast iron verandah with built-up scroll columns and
pitched glass roof. The Sitting Room is also fronted by a terrazzo
surfaced stoep with openwork balustrade. There is a wall sundial, at
first floor level, at the rear south-east corner of the building.
Interior: The Entrance Hall has a terrazzo floor with a fret surround,
oak panelling, 2 metres high, and a ceiling of boards and exposed
joists. The Staircase Hall has an oak, open newel, staircase taken
round three walls. This has panelled newels, twisted balusters,
panelled spandrel and boarded soffite. A large panelled arch fronts
the staircase window. Drawing Room (off stair hall) six panel doors
with panelled linings. Marble mantel flanked by Corinthian columns.
Panelled beam on fluted consoles and panelled ceiling with cove and
dentil cornice. Salon (off Drawing Room). Panelled window shutters,
softwood panelled dado. Meissen corner fireplace installed 1880.
Panelled arched opening to bay and panelled division to room. Rear
section of ceiling has decoration to corners and centre based on
scrolls and foliage and a dentil cornice. The front (west) section of
the room has a deeper cornice of foliage with egg and dart and
dentils. Glass chandelier. The Sitting Room (at the rear of the
Drawing Room) Jacobean panelling, 5-panels high, with fluted frieze,
removed from Calveley Hall. Small stone fireplace with Jacobean style
fluted pilaster and frieze. Brass chandelier.
Dining Room (rear of stair hall). Four-panels-high walnut panelling with
reeded pilasters and consoles separating the panels of the frieze and
the plate rail. Flat strapwork cornice, with angels, and vaulted ceiling
with quatrefoils and squares, shields and foliage. Wide stone Jacobethan
fireplace with panels and pilasters. Six-panel door. Morning Room
(adjoining Dining Room) 2-panel high softwood dado. White marble mantel.
Six-panel door. Garland cornice and large ceiling rose with glass
chandelier.

Listing NGR: SJ6599355865

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Rookery Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7366203

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

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings