Description

1/0/10128
20-MAR-02

CLAYTON LANE
Clayton
Upper Syke

II

House. 1862, remodelled internally 1888, with minor C20 alterations. Built for Joseph Benn, textile manufacturer, and modernised for Alfred Benn. Coursed dressed grit-stone with ashlar dressings, and Welsh slate roofs with ornate iron finials. Two storey plus attics. Moulded plinth, flush ashlar quoins.
South-east front has slightly recessed centre with single tripartite casement window on each floor flanked either side gabled wing each with 2 storey canted bay window topped with iron balustrade and single light window.
Left return has painted scar where the original conservatory once stood.
North-east entrance front has off-centre projecting porch with single cross casement and 4-centred arched doorway in left return. Porch has dentilated eaves cornice and parapet topped with ornate iron railing. Behind staircase tower with cross casements to each upper floor also topped with dentilated cornice and ornate iron balustrade. To left single light casement windows on each floor, to right single cross casement to each floor. Beyond to right a slightly projecting cross wing with 2 single-light casements either side of buttress supporting canted oriel window on first floor. Above a single light window in gable apex.
North-west front has small off-centre projecting porch with moulded cornice and ornate iron balustrade, above a tall staircase window, eitherside pairs of single casement windows and above single casement windows.
INTERIOR has very good quality internal fittings. Entrance has glazed front door, mosaic floor to porch and glazed inner screen door. Hall has ornate dado panelling, 6-panel doors in moulded surrounds with patera, fitted mirror cabinet below staircase, moulded plaster ceiling with deeply moulded cornice. Staircase has square newels and square panels and alternate turned balusters which continue along landing around 3 sides of upper hall. Landing also has triple arched screen, painted door surrounds with patera and a coved plaster ceiling with skylight now boarded. Main reception rooms have ornate wooden doors and door surrounds some with inset carved panels and all with fine brass door handles and finger plates. Fireplaces, some inlaid, with equally ornate over-mantels, dado panelling and fitted shelves and cupboards. Most rooms have deep skirting boards and panelled wooden shutters. Back staircase has 2 turned balusters per tread with moulded handrail and ornate turned newel post. First floor rooms all have panelled doors (now boarded) and moulded door surrounds with corner patera. Most main bedrooms retain fine marble fireplaces (now painted) with tiled surrounds and iron grates. Two rooms have wooden fireplaces with mirrored over-mantels.
This building retains remarkably fine quality late-Victorian interior decoration.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26669165

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

• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)