Sutton Oaks

SJ 96 NW SUTTON OAKGROVE

6/72 Sutton Oaks

II

Gentleman's country house. Built third quarter of the C19 to designs by Thomas Worthington. Tooled and snecked sandstone; Welsh slate roof. Generally 2 storeys. Plan: irregular, but designed around a central L-shaped corridor (with no proper hall) which gives access to the principal rooms: entrance vestibule to S with dining room adjacent to SE, and study and drawing room to SW; principal stairs to W. Bedrooms above. To the W (to the rear of the stairs) a 3 storey 'tower' (possibly containing bachelor guest rooms) with single-storey billiards room to NW. This 'tower' is balanced by a 2 ½ storey block to E with additional bedrooms. Services to rear contained within main building. Asymmetrical elevations through- out with variously placed ridge and lateral stacks. Garden (S) front: a long facade with paired gabled wings of different heights to left, each with overhanging eaves and truss-like bargeboarding; canted bay to left wing, off-centre porch with parapet, single and paired sash windows under depressed arches, some with hood moulds. Left (W) elevation: canted storeyed bay under hipped roof to SW (drawing room); paired stair lights recessed between this and 3 storeyed tower; the tower, late medieval in feel, L-shaped plan with corbelled angle turret and spirelet, the roof partly hipped and partly concealed behind dressed stone parapet with ball finials. Large plate-glass sashes under window arches as to front. Billiard room with canted bay, and canted inglenook end stack with set-offs and shaped shafts. Right (E) elevation: canted bay to SE (dining room); 2 ½ storey block with canted hipped bay and gabled dormer window. Windows as elsewhere, gables treated as to S front. Rear elevation flush with N face of tower (which has elaborate external stack), gable treatment as front. Interior: internal fittings survive largely intact and include panelled shutters, open well stair with twisted balusters, plaster cornices with egg and dart mouldings; billiard room with panelled dado and elaborate. inglenook with full-height panelling, marquetry or inlaid figure panels, embossed typanum; coved ceiling. Overall: a good example of one of Worthington's small 'country mansion of Manchester'.

Listing NGR: SJ9179769653