Blythe Hall

LATHOM

SD40NW BLYTHE LANE 663-1/4/38 (North West side) 11/08/72 Blythe Hall

II

Large house. Probably late C16 or early C17 in origin but altered in early C19 and radically altered and enlarged c.1920 for the 3rd Earl of Lathom; and reduced c.1975 by demolition of the earliest range. Scored stucco on sandstone rubble, with green slate roof; C20 additions of sandstone ashlar with stone slate roofs. Irregular plan composed of H-plan original building with extensive wings attached to rear corner of right-hand wing. Two storeys and attics, the older portion: 1:5:1 windows, symmetrical, with a plinth and string course carried round; a wide single-storey C20 stone porch in the centre, a 2-light window above this, pairs of 2-light windows on both floors, those at ground floor with hoodmoulds, and in the gables of the wings similar casements of 3, 2 and 1 lights on successive floors, all with hoodmoulds. Two ridge chimneys. The return side of the left wing has a C20 bay window and conservatory at ground floor; the return side of the right-hand wing has (inter alia) a 2-storey canted bay. The C20 wing, joined to the rear corner by a link, is a symmetrical composition of 1:3:1 windows, with gabled ends which have 2-storey 5-sided bays with cross-windows, and a 3-bay centre which has an arcaded loggia at ground floor and 3-light mullioned windows above. To the rear of this is a C20 wing in simpler style containing a swimming pool; and there are other C20 rear service wings (etc). INTERIOR: the main range of the original house was entirely remodelled c.1920 as an open hall with a dramatic 2-storey colonnaded Ionic screen to a staircase occupying most of the rear wall; the room to the right has elaborate panelling said to have been removed from Lathom Hall when it was demolished shortly after the 1st World War; the swimming pool in the rear wing is in the style of a Roman temple, with mosaic columns; and at 1st floor are 7 en suite bathrooms with mosaic walls and early C20 fittings. HISTORY: remodelled by the 3rd Earl of Lathom as a residence to replace Lathom Hall, and used in the 1920s for entertaining his theatrical friends such as Ivor Novello and Noel Coward; subsequently occupied by Roman Catholic seminary.

Listing NGR: SD4384909990