Description

ADLESTROP
SP 22 NE
5/1 Daylesford House
25.8.60
GV I

Country house. Built 1787-93 by S.P. Cockerell for Warren Hastings
with C19 additions. Ashlar and coursed, squared and dressed
limestone, slate and leaded roofing, ashlar stacks. 'H'- shaped
main body with late C19 flat-roofed extension with projecting porch
and portico between projecting wings onto east front. C19 stable
block curving away towards west from north wall. Neo classical
style house with French details. Symmetrical eastern front; 3
storey central block with cellar under, late C19 entrance extension
flanked by single 2-storey bays, 2-storey wings projecting forward
right and left. 1:1:7:1:1-windowed; 12-pane sashes to first floor
of central block, 9-pane sashes to second floor, single bulls-eye
windows to single bays projecting forwards either side within
festooned surrounds and aprons; segmental pediment over single sash
windows below. C20 glazed door within moulded surround with
triangular pediment supported by console brackets to left wing at
front, blocked window above. Large single round-headed windows
with glazing bars flanking projecting open-sided central porch with
portico supported by paired Doric columns. Round-headed windows
with marginal glazing bars in side walls of porch. Ashlar
pilasters at corners of main body rising up to string, continued as
band across facade between first and second floor windows, stone
balustrade to 2-storey wings and C19 entrance extension.
Symmetrical south front; 2 storeys and basement. Chamfered
rustication to basement floor. Central block flanked by canted 3
storey bays supported by Doric columns. Central part-glazed
panelled door to balcony with architrave swept out at bottom and
triangular pediment supported on console brackets. Floating
cornices supported on corbels above 12-pane sashes within moulded
architraves either side of door. Wrought iron balconies to upper
storey. Canted bays either side lit by 12 and 6-pane sashes with
and without moulded architraves and floating cornices. Symmetrical
1:3:3:3:1-windowed west front; central 3-storey semi-circular
projection. 3 storey main body stepped down to 2 storeys for one
bay far right and left, single bay wings projecting forwards either
side; 6 and 12-pane sashes to ground and first floors of wings
with string continued at same height across facade of main body.
Stone balustrade above string where it runs around the semi-
circular projection, frieze below decorated with festoons, frieze
supported on Ionic columns flanking 2-light French windows. 3
bulls-eye windows with festooned surrounds lighting ceiling of
dome, similar windows to 2-storey bays right and left of main body.
Stone balustrade to projecting wings. Dome-shaped roof with large
pointed finial over semi-circular bay. Classical style stable
block attached on north; 2 storeys with triangular pediment over
central portion. Central circular relieving arch below over part-
glazed double door with triple keystone flanked by casements with
triple keystones. 6-pane sashes to first floor. Band between
ground and first floor interrupted by triple keystones over
formerly single width openings, now double width garage openings.
Clock lantern with domed roof and weather vane from ridge behind
pediment.
House interior: late C19 open string stair. Original cornices, 6-
panel doors and surrounds. Original marble fireplaces including
white and grey marble fireplaces with sculptured overmantel
depicting Father Thomas in library, by John Bacon 1793. White
marble fireplace by Thomas Banks with frieze depicting Hindu
sacrifice, single carved figures of Indian women on uprights either
side, mirror within ornate surround with carved festoons over.
Dining room formerly contained white marble fireplace, possibly by
Thomas Banks with 2 carved elephants on frieze (now in upstairs
room). Richly decorated fluted Corinthian columns within main
reception room. Circular boudoir under the dome; arcade of narrow
reeded and bound columns with lotus capitals around walls. Small
painted ceiling depicting starry sky lit naturally from bulls-eye
windows hidden from the room by the false ceiling. (Refs: P.F.
Norton: 'Daylesford' Journal of the Society of Architectural
Historians of America Vol. 22, 1963 and B. Little: 'Calcutta in the
Cotswolds', Transactions of the Bristol and Glos. Archaeological
Society, 1980, Pl, also Margaret Martyn 'An Exiles Dream Realised'
Country Life 23/1/1975).

Listing NGR: SP2543526464

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Daylesford House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17525716

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.

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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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