Red House

RED HOUSE

A country house built in 1841 for Robert Wellbeloved Scott of Stourbridge, Red House is a classical design constructed in red brick with ashlar dressings and a slate roof. The building is almost square in plan with two storeys, accompanied by a lengthy service wing to the north which rises to three storeys. Despite later conversion to institutional and office use in the 20th century, the original design and layout remain largely legible.

The exterior displays symmetrical fronts to the east, south and west. Stone dressings include a plain plinth, a guilloche band between the floors, a sill band at first floor level and a projecting cornice at the top, all encircling the house. The service wing is more plainly treated with simple bands at the level of the first and second floor window sills. A former walled service yard to the north was enclosed during the 20th century and roofed to create a playschool building.

The east front, which serves as the entrance, comprises three bays. The central bay at ground floor level features a portico with paired Ionic columns supporting a full entablature, above which sat a balustrade (now mostly removed). Ground floor windows to either side are aedicular with lugged and shouldered surrounds that connect to the plinth and feature recessed panels beneath the sash windows, each topped with a projecting cornice with pulvinated frieze. First floor window surrounds rest on the sill band and are lugged. The south and west facades each contain five bays with similar fenestration. The north front displays the projecting three-storey service wing and a large arched staircase window resting on the guilloche band; two 20th-century bathroom windows with stucco surrounds are also present. The service wing contains four bays with plain window surrounds. Both house and wing retain their full complement of chimney stacks with flush bands near the tops and moulded caps.

The interior features an impressive staircase hall to the north containing a dogleg staircase with stone treads moulded to their undersides, a cast iron balustrade and mahogany handrail with wreathed curtail. The floor comprises square stone slabs with small slate diamonds to the corners; two corners contain console tables (or possibly blocked fireplaces) above which are arched alcoves. The half-landing has an arched window with coloured margin glazing. The cornice displays large acanthus leaves. Two other ground floor rooms retain richly decorated cornices and ceiling roses, with marble fire surrounds in French style that appear to be later additions from the 1860s or 1870s. Both rooms feature simple dado rails, set rather high and possibly altered, with matchboarding below that appears to be of yet later date.

The house was subsequently occupied by Robert Bagnall of Gold's Hill Ironworks and John Marshall, a local ironmaster. Sir Henry Meysey Thompson was the last person to use the building as a residence. Ordnance Survey maps record its use as a Convalescent Home for Children, and during the Second World War it is believed to have housed refugees, with additional bathrooms possibly added at that time. The building remained in institutional and office use through most of the later 20th century and was vacant at the time of re-survey in 2008.