Heath House

HEATH HOUSE

Country house, built circa 1660 for John Edwards, son-in-law of Richard Heath, with alterations in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The west wing replaced an earlier house of Richard Heath, which was demolished. The first phase comprised the hall and two rooms in the east wing, which was then extended to the north, with a stairhall added behind the hall and the west wing built soon after 1660.

The house is constructed in English bond red brick with a moulded brick plinth and string. It has a tiled hipped roof with a coved eaves cornice and large external brick lateral stacks with tall square shafts. The plan is U-shaped, with wings extending to the rear (north).

The building is 2 storeys with attics and cellar. The south front is asymmetrical with 8 bays, featuring flat rubbed brick window arches with 20th-century 12-pane sashes. A resited stone doorway to the left of centre has tapered pilasters, a cornice, ball finials, a pediment and panelled door. There are seven cambered top dormers. The east and west sides have large lateral stacks without string courses, 12-pane sashes and ground-floor windows with 2 cross-mullion transom windows on the east side, beneath the same moulded brick cornices. The north elevation has a 2:4:2 window arrangement with an intact stringcourse and cornices, 19th/20th-century cross-mullion transom windows, a large central stair window, a doorway to the right of centre and a window above with balustrade apron.

The fenestration and other features were altered in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

The interior contains many fine features including 17th and 18th, 19th and 20th-century chimneypieces, cornices and coffered ceilings, and 17th-century bolection panelling. The elaborate panelling on the first-floor south-east room is possibly 19th-century. A fine 17th-century double stair is located behind the hall, with the west part constructed from reused parts of a reconstructed second stage to the attics. The roof has tie beam and collar roof trusses with queen struts and trenched purlins.