Beech Lawn

SE 3519 and SE 3520 WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH HEATH COMMON (east side)

6/75 Beech Lawn 11.4.73

GV II

Large house. Early-mid C18, c1770, early C19 and early C20. Hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressings, some C19 brick to rear range, stone slate roofs. T-shaped on plan: small C18 cottage with added range c1770 at right angles fronting the Common with added cells to either end early C19. 2 storeys with attics to rear range. South front: originally 3 symmetrical bays. Ashlar plinth and band. Doorway has architrave, pulvinated frieze and triangular pediment with, above, sash window in plain raised surround; flanking bays have original full-height canted bays with a sash window to each floor. Set back, added bays have to each side an early-C20 canted bay window with sash to each face, tripartite lead lean-to roof; 1st floor has, to left, 2 sash windows with lintels and projecting sills and, to right, plain stone plaque. The whole under one hipped roof, the full-height canted bays have tripartite hip to ridge. 4 stacks set to rear roof pitch. Rear: from left, C20 3-bay extension; wing breaks forward at right angles with brick gable stack; set back, to right, house has doorway with monolithic jambs and overlight, 2 sash windows above. Right-hand return of house has added apsidal glazed conservatory with above segmental tripartite curved glazed sash window. Wing has 3 bays of windows with to right a former doorway (blocked) with chamfered surround to right, fronts garden; 2 ridge stacks. Left-hand return of house has 3 bays of sash windows, 15-pane to ground floor (dining room), 12-pane to 1st floor. Wing: set back, and fronting yard, has C19 brick bay with segmental-arched window to each floor, with to right and set forward 3 bays of sash windows.

Interior: entrance hall has open-well staircase with paired finely-turned balusters and ramped handrail. To left, sitting room with:elliptical-arched recess, the architrave decorated with chain motif; marble fireplace, moulded dado rail and cornice. To right, double drawing-room has fine Edwardian decoration, each room having carved fireplace with fluted Greek Ionic pilasters and cast-iron gates, wide linking double-doors. Finely decorated Regency dining-room, windows, doorways and sideboard recesses flanking fireplace all with similar architraves; marble fireplace with cast-iron grate; cornice decorated with Greek key ornament (illustrated in Hall, p27). Room to rear of entrance hall, part of earlier cottage, has C18 fireplace with architrave, fluted frieze and dentil cornice flanked by original fitted mahogany drawers and bookcase. Dining-chamber has marble fireplace which pulls forward on wheels allowing access to chimney for sweeping. Drawing-room chamber has canted plaster ceiling. Back-stair has simple stick balusters leading down to kitchen.

I. and E. Hall, Heath (booklet).

Listing NGR: SE3581119992