Rookery Hall

Rookery Hall is a mansion of early 19th-century origins, extensively altered in the late 19th century for Baron William Henry Schroder. It is constructed of yellow sandstone ashlar with a slate roof, comprising two storeys and a basement across five bays, including a stepped back service wing.

The principal façade features a projecting entrance porch with a semi-circular archivolt and pilasters to the opening, flanked by fluted pilasters with composite capitals supporting a first floor balcony. The balcony has a segmental central projection and an openwork balustrade with ball finials. The porch floor is laid with small stone slabs set diagonally and contains narrow single-light transome windows with splayed reveals and leaded glazing. The entrance comprises a five-panel half-glazed door flanked by side panels and surmounted by a large fanlight. All glazing is covered by metal grilles based on scrolls and leaves.

To the north of the porch stands a full-height mullion and triple transome staircase window flanked by Corinthian-capped pilasters. The service wing displays a first floor string course and stone eaves cornice, with part fronted by a single-storey octagonal bay containing wood casements. South of the porch, a single-storey front to the Drawing Room features three stone mullion and transome windows flanked by ball finial-topped pilasters and surmounted by an openwork balustrade, with a four-light mullion and transome window at first floor level. The south end-bay projects forward and contains a two-storey canted bay window with Perpendicular treatment to the head at first floor level. A corbel table runs at eaves; this section continues upward to finish in a wedge-shaped pyramid of shaped green Westmorland slates. The main roof has a stone eaves gutter cornice with square corner finials bearing carved vase faces.

The garden front (east) displays large full-height bay windows to the Morning and Sitting Rooms with roof-level balustrade. The Salon and Sitting Rooms (south) are fronted by a cast iron verandah with built-up scroll columns and pitched glass roof. The Sitting Room is also fronted by a terrazzo-surfaced stoep with openwork balustrade. A wall sundial appears at first floor level at the rear south-east corner.

The Entrance Hall contains a terrazzo floor with a fret surround, oak panelling two metres high, and a ceiling of boards with exposed joists. The Staircase Hall features an open newel oak staircase taken around three walls, with panelled newels, twisted balusters, panelled spandrel and boarded soffit. A large panelled arch fronts the staircase window.

The Drawing Room, accessed from the staircase hall, contains six-panel doors with panelled linings, a marble mantel flanked by Corinthian columns, a panelled beam on fluted consoles, and a panelled ceiling with cove and dentil cornice.

The Salon, accessed from the Drawing Room, features panelled window shutters and softwood panelled dado. A Meissen corner fireplace was installed in 1880. The room has a panelled arched opening to the bay and panelled division. The rear section of the ceiling bears decoration to corners and centre based on scrolls and foliage with a dentil cornice; the front section has a deeper cornice of foliage with egg and dart and dentils. A glass chandelier hangs within.

The Sitting Room, at the rear of the Drawing Room, contains Jacobean panelling five panels high with fluted frieze, removed from Calveley Hall. It features a small stone fireplace with Jacobean-style fluted pilaster and frieze, and a brass chandelier.

The Dining Room, at the rear of the staircase hall, is lined with four-panels-high walnut panelling with reeded pilasters and consoles separating the panels of the frieze and plate rail. A flat strapwork cornice with angels runs throughout, and the ceiling is vaulted with quatrefoils, squares, shields and foliage. A wide stone Jacobethan fireplace with panels and pilasters dominates, with a six-panel door adjacent.

The Morning Room, adjoining the Dining Room, has two-panel-high softwood dado, a white marble mantel, a six-panel door, a garland cornice, and a large ceiling rose with glass chandelier.