Description

SJ 4087
392-0/0/10002

ALLERTON
HARTHILL ROAD
Beechley

GV
II
Villa, recently old people's home but unoccupied at time of survey (December 1991). 1835-6, for John Marriott, cotton broker; enlarged at an early date, with additions of early C20, and altered.

Painted scored stucco, probably on sandstone, with sandstone dressings and hipped slate roof with rendered chimneys. Irregular plan formed by a rectangular maid block enclosing a central atrium, with a rear service wing, an early extension to the left side, and later additions (of yellow brick) to the rear of this (probably replacing the original service wing). Classical style. Two storeys over cellars, 3:1:1:1 windows (the three-window portion being the extension). The original block, which is almost symmetrical with a pedimented centre breaking forwards, has a plinth, channelled corner pilasters, first-floor sillband, plain frieze and oversailing boarded eaves (features copied by the extension to the left). The pedimented centre has a projected porch at ground floor, with Ionic columns distyle in antis and plain entablature with moulded cornice, a concrete ramp replacing former steps up to a wide doorway which has glazed and panelled double doors, a rectangular overlight and narrow side windows; and stepped corners to the first floor, which has a sashed window with a built-in retractable sunblind. Left of the porch at ground floor is a tripartite sashed window (and left of this a small inserted window); otherwise, all the windows of the original block and its extension are four-pane sashes, those of the original block unhorned, all at ground floor have moulded architraves rising from the plinth and all at first floor have raised sills and plain reveals (but that in the centre of the extension has been painted over). Two ridge chimneys flanking the pedimented centre, one at the junction and another at the left end, and other chimneys to the rear ranges. The right-hand return wall (garden front), of 1:3:1 windows, almost symmetrical, has a projected three-window segmental bow in the centre breaking the eaves: this has a first-floor band, sunk panels over the first-floor windows, a plain frieze and oversailing eaves; three tall French windows at ground floor (the centre with an inserted C20 door and the others with double casements which appear to have some glazing bars removed); and three square windows at first floor, the centre blind and the others sashed without glazing bars. The flanking bays have tripartite windows on both floors, those at ground floor with pilastered and corniced architraves, that to the left with C20 French windows and that to the right with only an eight-pane sash in its centre; and at first floor that to the right altered as a doorway to an attached fire-escape.

Rear: six windows at first floor, the first blind and the others four-pane sashes; at ground floor, three tall unhorned sashes to the left half, additions covering the right-hand half.

INTERIOR: large rectangular atrium containing cantilevered stone staircase rising up left and rear walls to cantilevered landing on right-hand wall, with slender cast-iron balusters and mahogany handrail wreathed at the foot; a three-sided pilastered first-floor gallery; and a coved panelled ceiling with central skylight. Mahogany doors with moulded architraves; parlour, drawing room and dining room on right-hand side with moulded plaster cornices (acanthus, waterleaf etc.). Despite some alterations, a good example of its type and date.

Forms group with associated entrance gateway (q.v.), ha-ha (q.v.) and with Beechley Stables (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SJ4015487517

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26552927

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)