Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill is an early to mid-19th-century house and coach house in Tudor revival style, constructed of sandstone including Spofforth red sandstone and gritstone, with blue slate roofs.

The house is planned in an uneven U-shape with a south-facing front range. The west wing is set back as a separate though joined block, while the east wing extends back to link with the coach house to the north, with several smaller elements projecting into the rear courtyard. The coach house faces south into the courtyard, with access to the courtyard between the west end of the coach house and the north end of the west wing.

The house features tall chimney stacks, mostly diagonally set with flared tops, and multi-paned wooden windows with stone mullions, transoms and sashes. The front south range comprises four bays with a first-floor string course and a raised parapet broken by gables in the second and fourth bays. The second bay projects forward with a ground-floor canted bay window and corbelled kneelers on the gable. The west wing has a gabled south-facing end with a large mullioned and transomed ground-floor window and a stepped three-light window above. The west side has three bays, the central bay featuring a small raised gable and large square-set chimney stack; the left bay has an altered patio door. The east wing displays a large gabled bay at the south end with double-height canted bay and corbelled kneelers, with the remainder set back northwards comprising several joined elements that appear partly infill in construction.

Within the inner courtyard, the east side of the west wing resembles the west side, with a former cart entrance altered to form a window. The rear of the main range has a tall gable projecting forward with scattered fenestration and a lower gable set back to the left. A flat-roofed single-storey later extension is attached to the west side of the east wing at its southern end. The wing extends northward for two more bays before reducing in height to form a link to the coach house with a garage-type door.

The coach house south front comprises three bays, the central bay projecting forward with a gable containing three rows of dove openings, corbelled kneelers and a carriage entrance with flat lintel below. The eaves flanking this bay feature a double corbel course. The right-hand bay contains a segmental arched carriage entrance and three-light window above with leading in the outer lights. The left-hand bay has a single door and small window openings. To the rear, a shouldered arch doorway with three-light overlight and wooden door with narrow panels set in a stone architrave is positioned towards the western end, with upper openings as narrow slits.

Interior of the house: The main south door opens into a hallway with principal rooms opening right and left and a staircase rising left at the rear. The staircase is closed string in wood with straight moulded balusters and newel post in 17th-century revival style. The ceiling features geometric Jacobean-style decoration and a cornice with vine and grape decoration, with repeated Tudor arches in simple Gothic moulding. The room to the right (east) has a bay window framed by a moulded Tudor arch, delicate plaster moulding on the ceiling and a white marble and plasterwork fluted and decorated fire surround with a decorative cast iron fireback, possibly introduced. The room to the left (west) has a bay window to the south front framed by a Tudor arch, repeated to form an alcove on the east wall and framing the doorway. The fire surround is of coloured marble and heavily carved wood with a cast iron fireback. A six-panel door leads to a third principal room with varnished wood, glass-fronted fitted cupboards and a marble fireplace with varnished wood overmantel in 1920s/30s style. The rear of the main range contains a series of small rooms, a second staircase with stick balusters and a rear courtyard entrance. The west wing contains two rooms with a central chimney breast serving both. The east wing has three interconnecting rooms, the northernmost (formerly a garage) open to the roof structure. The central room has a coffered ceiling, tall round-arched windows and a wood and marble fire surround with hob grate. The main staircase leads to a galleried landing with open Tudor arches echoing the principal rooms. Several upper rooms have modest fireplaces and cornicing appears in the principal rooms. A bathroom and bedroom in the east wing are fitted with Art Deco-style fixtures. One room has fitted linen cupboards but other fitted features are few. A small second storey accessed from the rear staircase contains one room with small fireplace. A basement is believed to occupy the area beneath the eastern half of the front range but was not accessed.

Interior of the coach house: The central area is open; an upper floor could not be accessed. The right (eastern) bay contains a tack room with timber panelling, fitted cupboards, a cast iron range in timber surround and custom pegs for hanging tack, with a staircase leading to a small upper room. The left (west) bay has opposing front and rear doors, three horse stalls with timber divides and iron mangers.