Larches House

SD53SW 941-1/1/315

PRESTON Ashton On Ribble LARCHES LANE (South side) Larches House

GV II Large house, now school. 1838, for John Lawe (banker). Red brick in Flemish bond, with sandstone dressings and slate roof. Rectangular main range with smaller rectangular service wing attached to rear. Two storeys and 3 bays, symmetrical, centre breaking forwards slightly, with plinth, string course,plain frieze and moulded cornice with blocking course (shallow triangular upstand in centre). The centre has a wide rectangular porch with Ionic columns distyle in antis and dentilled cornice with blocking course, protecting a round-headed doorway with shouldered architrave, door with geometrical-patterned glazed panel and fanlight with radiating glazing bars, and tall side-windows with glazing bars. Two windows at ground floor, sashed without glazing bars; three 12-pane sashes at 1st floor, all with panelled stone aprons and flat-arched heads. The side walls have wider centres breaking forwards, each with a large rectangular stone bay window at ground floor (the west with Corinthian pilasters,dentilled cornice and panelled parapet), and two 12-pane sashes above (the west now with wedge lintels). The attached service block, a 3-window range breaking forwards, has 12-pane sashes, hipped roof and various additions.

INTERIOR: open-well staircase with cast-iron balusters and mahogany handrail with wreathed curtail; fine decoration, including open-work moulded plaster cornices, fireplace with Ionic surround.

Listing NGR: SD5047629999