History

Built for Richard Barker, of Chester, at the beginning of the C19. The estate had been bought from Benjamin Bruen of Trevalyn House. In 1844 it is recorded as being owned by Mrs. Henrietta Barker. Architect unknown. Large C20 additions to the rear but original internal plan and decorative detail remains largely unaltered.

Exterior

Two-storey brick, stuccoed to main elevations, painted brick to original rear service wing. Cross planform with service accommodation to rear. First and second storey separated by a carved stone quatrefoil band. Slate roof with deep eaves. Principal elevation to the east has large square headed five-light mullioned and transomed window to ground floor. Two-light shallow-arched Gothick window to second storey above open entrance loggia of three bays with similar shallow-arches. Arches supported on cast-iron quatrefoil sectioned columns on square bases. Ceiling of entrance loggia has flat groin-vault ribs. Northern elevation has four-light mullioned and transomed window to ground floor and two-light twin lancet window in shallow arched Gothick opening to the first floor. Later windows to service wing to the right. Southern elevation has large projecting bay window of five-lights to ground floor with quatrefoil frieze to top becoming a parapet. New dining room single storey extension to service wing on this elevation.

Interior

Entrance is by stone flagged loggia through doorway with Gothick fan-light. Gives on to entrance hall with two-bay, shallow vaulted plaster ceiling of quadripartite design with rose bosses, winged heads, and oak leaves to rib terminations. Original wooden staircase with elongated quatrefoil and trefoil details, plaster frieze to stairway mirrors external quatrefoil band. Most original doors survive also with same elongated quatrefoil designs in five-panels. Hall gives onto lounge (east), reception (north), bar (south), and dining room (west). Plaster cornice to the bar of Gothick design, to Lounge of modified acanthus set in trefoil arcade. Reception has later internal partition to form office. Lounge has late C19 carved wooden fire surround.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a fine early C19 villa which retains much of the detail of the original design.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29495032

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)