History

Built in 1877 by John Douglas, architect of Chester, for Georgina and Henrietta Kenyon, daughters of the third Baron Kenyon of Gredington.

Exterior

A small country house in Domestic Revival style, mainly of brick with red-sandstone and terracotta window dressings, brick sill bands, lozenge-patterned brickwork on render between storeys in the entrance range and tower, and timber-framing to gables. The tile roof is on overhanging eaves, and has brick stacks, the caps of which have mostly been renewed. The 2½-storey house has 3 main elements, picturesquely grouped, comprising the W-facing entrance range with tower at the S end, a NE wing projecting behind, and a SW stable and coach house wing projecting forward at the S end.

The asymmetrical entrance front has a 2-storey porch L of centre. It has a Tudor-headed doorway with ribbed door incorporating strap hinges, and 4-light mullioned overlight. The timber-framed upper storey is jettied on corbelled brackets. It has a 7-light window with wooden mullions and leaded glazing across the entire width, beneath wooden consoles of the projecting verge. The tie beam has a painted panel with the legend 'G and H K 1877'. To its L is a 2-light upper-storey window and massive external stack with tall double shaft. To its R are 3-light and 4-light windows in each storey, and then a ribbed door to the R end under 3-pane mullioned overlight and segmental head. A single light window is above. A single, segmental-headed iron-frame basement window is to the R of the porch.

In the slightly higher asymmetrical 3-window N garden front the gable end of the entrance range is on the R. It has a 7-light mullioned and transomed window (with a single pane of 3-light width in the centre), and 7-light upper-storey window, all with steel-framed casements. The timber-framed gable has a small 2-light attic window. Set back further L the elevation has projecting eaves on a coved plastered cornice, and 2 full-height canted 4-light bay windows, taller and with transoms in the lower storey. Its E gable end has an external stack, flanked by a cross window to the R in the lower storey and 2-light window in the upper storey to the L.

Rear walls of the NE wing and entrance range are entirely of brick, and their character is reminiscent of the domestic gothic work of Street and Butterfield. The S wall of the NE wing has a 4-light mullioned and transomed window incorporating replacement French doors opening to stone steps. In the upper storey are a 2-light window to the R and 1-light window to the L. Further L, at the junction of the 2 ranges, is an outshut housing the stair, which has a 4-light mullioned and transomed stair window incorporating round-headed lights, and a single round-headed window below. The rear of the entrance range has a round-headed half-lit replacement door and overlight, then a 4-light window to its L. The upper storey has a 5-light (outer lights are blank) and 2-light windows, both with round-headed lights retaining original glazing with coloured glass. Further L is a tall turret under a pyramidal roof, and incorporating louvred openings below the eaves for a pigeon loft. Set back at the end is a slightly lower but larger tower, which terminates the entrance range. The tower has a pyramidal roof with weathervane incorporating the letter 'K'. Facing the garden to the S the tower has French doors with side lights, an 8-light middle stage window, with round-headed lights of which the central 2 lights are blind, above which the tower is timber-framed, and has a pair of 2-light windows in a hipped dormer. On the E side, also facing the garden, the lower stage has a 4-light window. On the W side is an external stack over the stable and coach-house wing.

On the W side of the tower is a single-storey wing, comprising coach house, stables and groom's accommodation, which includes a higher section at the end. The higher end is under a hipped roof, has stack to the E and cupola with louvres (for a pigeon loft) offset on the ridge. Facing S, at the R end adjoining the main house are two 2-light windows flanking a boarded door, then a segmental-headed doorway to a through passage, and 2 garage doors. Further L is a single-pitch brick garage added to the higher end, although one original vehicular lintelled opening remains visible. Above are a 2-light gabled dormer and 3-light raked dormer. Behind, the higher end has a 4-light window and 4-light dormer on the L side. Further L are a through-passage doorway, and 4-light and 2-light windows.

Interior

The entrance opens to a vestibule, with half-lit panelled door, side panels and overlight with leaded glazing, leading into the stair hall. From here the principal rooms are on the L and service rooms and kitchen are on the R. The stair hall is the principal interior feature and retains innovative carpentry characteristic of Douglas. The quarter-turn stair has turned balusters and newels, to an arcaded landing. The stair hall roof has bracketed purlins with panelling behind. Main rooms have panelled doors.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* for its special architectural interest as a very well-preserved small country house in the Domestic Revival style characteristic of John Douglas, combining originality of planning and a rich vocabulary of detail in a striking picturesque composition.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• The Gelli at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7736028

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

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback