Description

In the entry for:

STANFORD ON SOAR STANFORD HALL
SK 52 SE
DRIVE
8/80 Stanford Hall
14.5.52
GV II*

the entry shall be amended by adding the following to the end of the description:

Raked auditorium floor with 2 sets ofseats and a central aisle. Orchestra pit has a central organ which
can be raised and lowered during performances. This Wurlitzer organ was made at their Tonawanda
factory and despatched on 20.7.1926 to The Madeleine Theatre, Paris, France. It was purchased by
SirJulian Cahn, for £20,000, and despatched to Stanford 25.5.1937, it was modified and enlarged
when it was installed. The theatre was designed by Cecil Aubrey Masey, a well known cinema
architect, to allow Sir Julian to present magic shows as well as films, he was the president of the
Leicester Magic Circle. The walls were decorated with murals by Beatrice MacDermott, the theatre
seated 352 people, and cost £73,000.

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STANFORD ON SOAR STANFORD HALL DRIVE
SK 52 SE
(south side)
8/80 Stanford Hall
14.5.52
G.V. II*
Country house, now Co-operative College. Early C18, for Lewes
family, 1771-4 by Mr. Henderson of Loughborough for Charles Vere
Dashwood, altered and extended c.1892 by W. H. Fletcher, further
alterations and extensions in the late 1930s by Messrs. Allom for
Sir Julian Cahn. Further mid C20 extensions and alterations.
Red brick with ashlar dressings. Hipped slate roof topped with a
painted balustrade. 6 red brick stacks behind. Ashlar
entablature with modillion cornice and blocking course. The
central 3 bays slightly project and are topped with a modillion
pediment containing single cartouche. Ashlar plinth, ground and
first floor sill bands and first floor band. Two and a half
storeys plus cellar, 7 bays. Each ground floor bay apart from
the doorway is flanked by single ashlar pilaster strips, forming
giant Ionic pilasters over the band. Flanking the central
openings above the ground floor are 2 similar pilasters. Cellar
with 6 pairs of sashes. Central C19 porch with Ionic columns and
entablature. The side walls each with single arched opening with
decorative iron grille, fluted keystone and impost bands. Either
side are single Ionic pilasters. Inner C18 painted door
surround. Arched doorway with C20 door, over panel and moulded
imposts. Either side are single Doric style columns with fluted
capitals. These support a frieze decorated with a swag and
roundels. Flanking the columns are 2 similar pilasters, with
modillion cornice. Either side are 3 sashes with inner casements
with 2 pointed arched lights, each sash in moulded early C18
ashlar surround with later cornice. The single windows flanking
the doorway also have later key pattern friezes. Above, single
central sash in moulded ashlar surround with fluted frieze
flanked by single decorative brackets supporting a segmental
pediment. Either side are single similar sashes with similar
surrounds, however the fluted frieze is flanked by single
roundels, pediments over. Under each of these 3 openings is a
single recessed blind panel. Further right and left are 2
similar sashes with similar surrounds to those of the ground
floor. Above are 7 glazing bar sashes in ashlar surrounds. To
the right and left and slightly set back are 2 storey 3 bay
curved out quadrant wings, the ground floor being late C18 and
the first floors C19. Ashlar plinths, ashlar band broken by
ground floor lintels, first floor and first floor sill bands.
Cornice. Single central bays slightly project and have single
doorways with panelled double doors and decorative overlights.
Either side are single sashes. Over the firwst floor band of
each single central bay is a single ashlar panel containing
single ashlar swag, the ashlar pediment over breaks into the sill
of the first floor, round arched blind panel above with ashlar
keystone and impost bands terminating in single decorative ashlar
scrolls. Either side are singe sashes. All openings are set
into round arched recessed panels, those on the first floor with
keystones. The wing on the right with lead grotesque to first
floor. Extending either side of these wings are small sections
of wall with ashlar quoins, these terminate in single ashlar
piers topped with decorative urns. Extending across the whole of
this front, broken by the doorways, is an ashlar wall,
balustraded in parts. Further right are C19 and C20 wings.
Further left is a C19 two and a half storey, 5 bay wing and on
the far left, set back, the 1930s theatre. Garden front has to
the 5 bay C18 build with ashlar bands, cornice and blocking
course, a single central two and a half storey canted bay with
central doorway with glazed double door and overlight flanked by
single Ionic columns with entablature and modillion pediment.
Over is a single sash with fluted frieze, roundels and segmental
pediment. The remaining bays with single sashes with moulded
ashlar surrounds, first floor also with cornices. Projecting to
the right and left are C19 2 storey, 4 bay wings with similar
bands and cornices. Ashlar quoins to the ground floors and Ionic
ashlar corner pilasters to the first floors. The central 2 bays
of each wing are topped with an ashlar pediment. Bays with
single sashes with similar ashlar surrounds and cornices.
Further right and left are various C19 and C20 wings including on
the far right the two and a half storey, 7 bay theatre.
Extending across the whole of this front is an ashlar terrace,
balustraded in parts and with ashlar steps leading off.
Including ashlar garden seats, decorative piers and urns. Also
including at the west end a 1930s open arcade supported on
decorative cement Ionic columns and enclosing on 3 sides a
coloured mosaic floor with central decorative mosaic pool and
fountain. The fourth side is enclosed by the house. Interior.
Reconstructed in the late 1930s by Messrs. Allom. Profusely and
richly decorated in various period and modern styles. Most major
rooms, including bedrooms, with decorative cornices, panelled
dados, decorative marble and other fireplaces, some with
overmantels. A number of rooms with decorative ceilings, some
with further decoration to the panelling. Some decorated and
shaped doorcases, others with good panelled doors and reveals.
Study panelled with gilt decoration, other rooms also with gilt
decoration. Open well staircase with decorative newels and
balusters, carved tread ends, walls further decorated with Ionic
pilasters. Lady Cahn's boudoir with decorated mirrored ceiling
and decorative panel over the fireplace. The nursery is panelled
and has decorative pilasters flanking the windows and larger
panels, doorway concealed in false bookcase. Reputed to retain a
single lavishly decorated marble bathroom. The theatre has coved
moulding conceling the lights. The coloured decoration in the
form of figures and horses. Doors with decorative gilt cornices
and glass panels depicting the signs of the zodiac.

Listing NGR: SK5588423867

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Stanford Hall at Wikipedia
• Stanford Hall official website
• Wikidata Q7598749

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
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  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)