Swinfen Hall And Attached Steps And Terraces

SWINFEN HALL AND ATTACHED STEPS AND TERRACES

A country house, now an hotel, built in 1755 by Benjamin Wyatt. The building underwent substantial late 19th and early 20th century additions. It is constructed of red brick with stone plinth, details and dressings, and features a flat roof concealed behind a balustraded parapet and corniced brick central chimney stacks. The architecture is Baroque in style, which was conservative for its date, with a rectangular plan that has been extended to the south east.

The entrance front rises two storeys on a plinth to a dentilled cornice with an attic storey above, corniced under the parapet. The parapet is divided into six bays by dies, with a central panel rising to a segmental pediment bearing a cartouche displaying the coat of arms of the Swinfens. The facade is articulated by giant Ionic pilasters arranged in a 2,3,2 bay pattern, rising to breaks in the main cornice and continuing as strips beyond. The glazing bar sashes rise from 18,18 panes on the main floors to 6 panes on the attic, set within moulded stone surrounds with lugged and keystone heads and consoled cills. The attic windows feature only lugged top and bottom details. The central entrance is approached by a short wide flight of steps and comprises a flat-dentilled pediment on a triglyph frieze supported by Tuscan columns, with double four-panel doors.

A shorter, understated side elevation bears the date "SS/1755" inscribed on the keystone of a basement door. The details here are similar to the entrance front, but the plinth storey lacks stone facing.

The garden front mirrors the entrance elevation in layout but with less extensive ornamentation. There is no central cartouche, and the windows have keystone centres to gauged brick heads with consoled cills, except for the centre first-floor window which matches the entrance front detailing. The centre three bays on the ground floor incorporate a late 19th century semicircular bay projection containing three French casements and a balustraded parapet. The spaces between windows are occupied by carved Portland stone terms. From the garden front, the substantial 19th century extension is visible, projecting three bays from the left-hand side and fronted by six bays spaced wider than the 18th century work but of intentionally similar height and detail. The garden front of the 18th century house and the 19th century block are connected by a raised balustraded terrace in Portland stone with two concave flights of steps to the north east.

The interior of the 18th century building was substantially altered in the late 19th century in an interpreted 18th century manner, with some material possibly reused. The entrance opens into a hall occupying half the depth of the house and spanning the central three bays over two storeys. The plan is thereby divided into two apartments either side and one in front. The hall features elaborate plasterwork with a particularly floral ceiling, a dentilled cornice and lugged panels below expressing the floor division, and pedimented door surrounds. To the right stands an elaborate fireplace with a swan-necked pediment over the mantel, a consoled mantel and a lugged marble fire surround. The hall is dominated not by a staircase but by a balcony running across the entrance axis with turned balusters on a dentilled cornice and frieze, supported by fluted Ionic columns. Beneath the balcony, round-arch entries lead centrally to the saloon, to the left to the dining room, and to the right to the stair hall. The dog-leg staircase features three turned balusters per tread, an open string with carved console tread ends, ramped angles and a curtail scroll. The landing is lit by a stained glass Serlian window by Dudley Forsyth of London. The library, adjoining the dining room, displays typical 18th century style details including panelling, doorcases and cornices, as does much of the house. The saloon is more obviously 19th century in character, particularly in its circular end which opens towards the garden. The 19th century block contains a large dining room executed in 18th century style and a huge ballroom fully panelled with a columnated recess of full storey height featuring solid wood columns. The first floor contains fine carved work and a pair of early 20th century bathrooms with extensive and complete original fittings.