Description

Possibly James Archibald Morris, circa 1901-02. Asymmetrical, 2 storey with attic, 3-bay Free Style house with full-height single bay recessed to outer left; balustraded porte-cochere to front. Squared and snecked tooled cream sandstone (partly rake-jointed); polished sandstone dressings; polished ashlar porte-cochere. No base course; overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Polished quoins; polished long and short surrounds to chamfered openings; chamfered cills; sandstone mullions. Rubble sandstone walls enclosing sunken garden to front. Single storey, 3-bay modern garage block to E.

SW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: replacement, part-glazed timber panelled door in basket-arched surround off-set to right of centre; tripartite glazing row in bay to left (basket-arched surrounds); arcaded porte-cochere to front with balustraded parapet and ball-finialed piers; 6-light canted window centred in skewed 1st floor gable. Projecting 5-light windows at both floors in bay to outer right (crenellated parapet breaking eaves at 1st floor); 3-light cat-slide dormer above. 4 light canted window at ground in bay to left of entrance; crenellated parapet; tripartite window at 1st floor; 3-light cat-slide dormer above. Tripartite windows at both floors in bay recessed to outer left.

Replacement 2-pane timber sash and case windows throughout. Slightly bell-cast, red tile roof; decorative ridge tiling; raised skews. Decorative rainwater goods; coped ridge and wallhead stacks; circular terracotta cans.

INTERIOR: not seen 1997.

SUNKEN GARDEN WALLS: low coped walls enclosing sunken garden to front; ball-finials flanking stairs from upper level.

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: polished coping to part stepped, tooled cream rubble sandstone wall enclosing site; ball finials; timber pedestrian entry gate. Polished square-plan piers flanking original entrance; dentilled cornice; pyramidal caps surmounting sculpted balls; replacement gates. Modern, square-plan piers flanking inner entrance.

Statement of Interest

According to M Davis, Cessford is "...reminiscent of the work of James A Morris and ... H E Clifford" (p222). The site is recorded as having been acquired in 1901 from the Portland Estates by Andrew James Ker of Messrs King, Hamilton & Co, Bankers, Calcutta. The feu disposition was registered in September 1902 (information AHSS). Photographs held in the NMRS show the porte cochere was at one time glazed and fully enclosed. This glazing has now been removed and various alterations carried out (including the replacement of all the original sashes). A number of detached homes have been erected on what was originally Cessford's back garden (circa 1995). A 9-bay garage block (previously listed with the house) has been demolished to make way for this development and new gatepiers have been erected.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17844817

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability