Maisters House

Maister's House is a substantial house, now used as architects' offices, built between 1743 and 1744. It was designed by Joseph Page, in collaboration with Lord Burlington, for Henry Maister. The building suffered war damage and was reroofed around 1950, with a subsequent restoration in 1968. It is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings and a parapet, featuring two renewed brick side wall stacks and an asphalt roof. The main block has a plinth, bands defining the first floor and eaves, and a five-window front with 12-pane sashes, with five further 6-pane sashes above, all with brick flat arches. The entrance is marked by an ashlar doorcase with pilasters, an entablature, and a pediment, leading to a fielded 6-panel door flanked by renewed 12-pane sashes. The exterior includes renewed stone steps, a wrought-iron balustrade, and an area railing installed in 1968.

The interior is particularly noteworthy for its high-quality plasterwork by Page and a staircase balustrade by Robert Bakewell. The central staircase hall is distinguished by a modillion cornice, a coved panelled ceiling with plaster busts and ornamentation, and an octagonal lantern providing light. The stone dogleg staircase features a panelled dado and a wrought-iron balustrade with a ramped scrolled handrail. A round-headed double door with fielded panels is located in the stairwell, alongside a round-headed niche containing a figure of Ceres by Cheere, flanked by bust-bearing brackets with drapery. The first landing displays five moulded 6-panel doors, two of which are false, with moulded architraves and entablatures. A portrait medallion of Joseph Locke is positioned between two of the doors. The plasterwork ceiling of the gallery on the second floor showcases a span beam with a Greek Key design, shaped and enriched brackets, and leaf panels. The ground floor front rooms, originally the counting house, feature wooden panelling, dentillated cornices, fireplaces with cornices, and fielded 6-panel doors. A left rear room boasts panelled walls, a modillion cornice, and a painted stone fireplace with a pulvinated frieze and central block, topped by an eared and scrolled overmantel. The former first-floor drawing room retains plasterwork and a marble and pine fireplace dating from around 1760. A second floor front room presents a modillion cornice, a plaster ceiling, and a marble fireplace with a broken scroll pediment overmantel. The right front room has simpler decorative features, including a corniced fireplace with an eared and shouldered overmantel. A left rear room mirrors the similar decoration, while the right rear room features fielded wooden panelling, likely from the late 17th century, a moulded cornice, and an ashlar fireplace with an eared and shouldered overmantel. A stone cantilevered dogleg rear staircase has iron stick balusters. The interior's significance extends locally and nationally.