Remains of Trentham Hall: The Grand Entrance and conservatory

The remains of the grand entrance and the conservatory at Trentham Hall, designed by the architect Sir Charles Barry in the Italianate style, and built between 1833 and 1842 by James Trubshaw.

MATERIALS: built of brick that has been rendered with stucco architectural details. The porte-cochère and the balustrade are of stone ashlar. Timber-framed fenestration.

PLAN: the grand west entrance comprises the porte-cochère at its centre, with curved arcades extending to either side forming a semi-circular or C-shaped plan, with a single-storey, five bay wing extending to the south. The north wing has been demolished.

EXTERIOR: the porte-cochère has round-arched openings with a scrolled keystone and widely spaced vermiculated quoins to each of its sides. The archways are flanked by pairs of three-quarter Ionic columns of alternate rusticated and plain stone bands that support the entablature. To each side of the parapet wall, which has a stone balustrade above, is a stone carving of the family’s coat of arms sculpted by Charles Smith and framed by pairs of banded pilasters surmounted by pedestals with finials.

The Ionic order is applied to the single-storey curved arcades and the south wing with three-quarter Ionic columns dividing full-height windows with moulded round-arched heads and scrolled keystones. Above the entablature the stone balustrade has pedestals surmounted by vases at intervals.

The east elevation of the arcade, facing the internal courtyard, uses the Corinthian order. The central round-headed window is flanked by pairs of Corinthian columns, with a curved Corinthian colonnade to either side, terminating with three round-arched windows framed by Corinthian pilasters. The parapet wall has pedestals at intervals, surmounted with vases.

INTERIOR: the internal walls of the curved arcades have scrolled keystones to the round-arched window heads, and Corinthian pilasters between the windows. The east doorway to the south arcade, which would have given access to the connected state rooms, has a decorative ironwork door frame.