Grove Hall

Grove Hall is a large house, dating from the early to mid-18th century, with alterations and enlargement in the 19th century. It is now partly flats and partly empty. The house is constructed of roughcast render over magnesian limestone and brick, with a composition tile roof. The building now has an irregular plan. The earliest part is a rectangular, double-depth block, with a set-back wing added to the right-hand end. Further wings were added to the rear of the left and centre, and a later addition extends from the left end and rear left corner.

The main facade is of three stories and five bays, symmetrical in design. A Tuscan colonnaded and glazed verandah has been added across the entire ground floor, with sandstone columns and a wooden frieze with triglyphs. Later railings enclose the flat roof of the verandah. Within the verandah, the central doorway features a pedimented moulded architrave and consoles supporting the pediment. There are two 12-pane sashes to the right, and remnants of similar windows to the left, which are now blocked internally by the staircase. The first floor has tall 12-pane sashes to the left, while the central and right openings have been altered. The low second floor has 2-light casements set over a continuous sill band. A deep moulded eaves cornice runs along the top of the facade, and the hipped roof is punctuated by two multiple-flue chimney stacks behind the ridge.

The right-hand wing, added later, is two stories and two bays wide and features a tripartite bow window at ground floor with pilasters, a plain frieze, and 8-pane sashes. There are two sashed windows above, and a continuation of the sill band from the main facade. The rear wing is lower in height but still two stories tall, with chamfered corners, a continuous sill band, tall 8-pane sashes at ground floor (internally shuttered), and 12-pane sashes above. A long rear wing, containing a ballroom, has a canted north end with three tall round-headed sashed windows at ground floor, with glazing bars; 12-pane sashes are above, and a plain parapet conceals the roof.

The interior was altered in the early to mid-19th century. The principal rooms to the left have been replaced by a fine open-well staircase with ornamental iron balusters of intersecting curves. The ground floor of the right wing was originally a single room, with pilasters and a moulded cornice, but is now partitioned. The ballroom retains similar, but more elaborate decoration, although it was somewhat dilapidated at the time of survey in 1987.