The Stone House and associated gate piers

The Stone House and associated gate piers

A two-storey house built in 1896 and designed by Edward Doran Webb, now in use as office accommodation. The building is constructed entirely of Weldon limestone with a clay tile roof. Later dormer windows were added in the late 20th century, and the interior was substantially redecorated around 1930. The house is rectangular in plan with a single-storey rectangular projection to the west, oriented to face south towards the gardens, away from Madingley Road to the north.

The south elevation, which faces the gardens and contains the principal entrance, is composed of five bays with the single-storey projection to the west. The west bay has five-light mullioned and transomed windows on both ground and first floors, with bottom-hung casements above the transom and side-hung casements below. To the east stands a replacement glazed camber-headed door set within a carved ogee arch, surmounted by an ornate carved ogee hood moulding with 'tudor rose' style decoration on the lugs either side. A curved 1930s wall-light is positioned to the right of the door. Above the door is an ornately carved balcony in two sections of four trefoils, divided by and flanked by engaged pilasters. Above the balcony, Ionic pilasters support an ornately carved lintel depicting a coat of arms in the centre, flanked by rectangular panels of scrolled foliage. The balcony is part of the original 1896 building and is accessed on the first floor by a replacement 1930s metal-framed glazed door, overlooked by a round window also inserted around 1930. To the right of the main entrance is a three-light window, mirrored on the first floor. The east bay of the south elevation comprises a full-height canted bay with a vaguely crenellated parapet and eight-light windows to both ground and first floors. The single-storey western projection retains a four-light window.

The east elevation features a projecting chimneybreast and two window bays of two and three lights respectively. The north elevation facing Madingley Road has a projecting chimneybreast spanning ground and first floors, though this was truncated at roof level with the introduction of dormer windows in the late 20th century. The north elevation contains two door openings representing the original 1896 construction and 1930s modifications. To the west is an original camber-headed door opening in a recessed rectangular frame with a camber-headed timber door, flanked by a curved wall light and door bell introduced in the 1930s. To the east, a camber-headed arched opening was created in the 1930s, containing a recessed metal-framed glazed door and door bell. The first floor fenestration consists of two two-light windows either side of a single window. The ground floor has a three-light window to the left of the 1930s door and a single and a two-light window to the right of the 1890s door.

The west elevation has a three-light window to the first floor over a single-light and a two-light window, flanking an original camber-headed door surround containing a replacement glazed door. The west elevation of the single-storey projection features a camber-headed arch containing a double-leaf timber door, with a single-light window to the right.

Throughout the building, windows are mullioned and transomed with bottom-hung casements above and side-hung casements below the transom. The roof of the house and projection is hipped. A continuous platband runs over the ground floor, and a plinth course sits at the base.

The interior retains a range of original features dating to 1896, including plain cornices and skirting boards, carved door and window surrounds, raised and fielded timber-panelled doors, windows with decorative handles, and staircases. All fireplaces were replaced during internal redecoration around 1930. The 1930s fireplaces comprise plain segmental-headed marble surrounds with grey tiles to the firebox; one features an early electric heater.

Two main entrance halls serve the building. The stair hall, created in 1896 and entered from the south elevation, features a camber-headed limestone arch to the south window and an L-plan stair rising to the first floor, notable for delicately carved spiral balusters and corner posts demonstrating high-quality craftsmanship. In the 1930s, an entrance was broken through from the northern side to provide access to the stair hall, which was previously only accessible from the south. To the east of the stair hall is a large room now used as a meeting room, with a finely panelled door set in a camber-headed arch. The meeting room has a carved camber-headed limestone arch to the canted window bay, and windows retain original furnishings including exquisite scrolled handles. The east wall contains a large 1930s fireplace. To the left of the entrance hall, a replacement glazed door leads to an office containing a 1930s fireplace with a basket-headed arch to the single-storey projection. To the north of the entrance hall, a plain service stair provides access to the upper floors.

On the first floor, the landing is arranged in rectangular plan encircling the open stair well. To the east is a bedroom suite comprising a former bedroom, library and dressing room. The former bedroom contains a large 1930s fireplace with a contemporary electric heater containing two rods operated by switches, set within a blue surround. Two rooms at the west end of the first floor contain smaller versions of the 1930s fireplace without electric heaters.

To the north towards Grange Road stand two pairs of square-plan rusticated limestone gate piers with large ball finials.