Holmewood Hall

Holmewood Hall

Country house rebuilt 1873-77 by architect William Young (1843-1900) in Tudor Gothic style for William Wells (1818-1889), following the destruction of an 18th-century house by fire. Some reused 18th-century French Rococo details were incorporated. Early 20th-century additions and alterations were made for Ashton Fielden (died 1942).

The building is constructed of red brick with terracotta and limestone dressings, with plain tiled roofs. It comprises two storeys and attics with one storey and attic sections. The main north-east to south-west range has two cross ranges projecting equally towards the garden facade, with extensions to the north-east including a gatehouse entrance to the stable yard. A four-stage water tower stands to the north-east, alongside a garden screen wall and gateway. Infilling between the ranges to the north-east dates to around 1915.

The garden facade displays six bays with contemporary single-storey and two-storey flat-roofed infill between the cross ranges. Coped gabled parapets with shaped finials are linked by pierced parapets continued above two-storeyed canted bay windows to either side. Moulded brick cornices and strings mark the sill height of windows. The fenestration comprises ovolo-moulded mullioned and transomed hung sash windows with chamfered brick reveals and stone sills. Three five-light windows to the single-storey range feature double transomed and stained glass upper lights. Rectangular ridge stacks and three side stacks display recessed panels, with patterned terracotta panels to the central stack and moulded brick cornices.

The main north-west entrance rises two and a half storeys, with a corbelled oven on the ground floor. A terracotta archway with jambs of three Early English orders supports a moulded four-centred arch within a square-headed outer arch bearing a moulded label with leaf-stops. Pierced quatrefoil spandrels carry leaf motifs. Linen-fold panelled double doors are shaped to the four-centred arch. A six-light first-floor window is surmounted by dragon finials on the gable parapet. Two 20th-century stone dragons flank the doorway, mounted on brick plinths and supporting Wells shields of arms. A plaque set in the wall above a five-light flat-roofed bay window to the right of the entrance bears two limestone panels inscribed with "WW 1644, 1775, 1873" and includes a swan and horseshoe inset above.

The gatehouse to the left is dated 1877 on its rainwater head. It rises two storeys with a central carriageway and two flanking pedestrian entrances set within screen walls rising to ground-floor height. Pierced parapets with terminal terracotta ball finials cap the structure. A semi-octagonal stair turret to the right contains similar lights below eaves to an oriel window above the archway. The archways possess four-centred heads of five plain orders springing from deeply splayed jambs. Double doors dated 1631 remain in place, restored, with geometric carved panels and pierced radiating upper panels. The first-floor room of the gatehouse served as a game larder with game racks still in situ. The screen wall and entrance to the garden, possibly dating to 1877, feature a shaped gable above a two-centred arched doorway with moulded brick label and stops. A terracotta plaque above bears cherubs, terminating recessed panelled piers with stepped brick and terracotta caps surmounted by terracotta ball finials. A chamfered plinth and niche to the right in the return of the wall complete the composition.

Interior details complete to the 1873-4 house include a fine staircase incorporating the first newel of a mid-17th-century staircase with carved panels of fruit. Chimney pieces incorporate mid-17th-century mannerist details probably taken from former chimney pieces. Eighteenth-century French Rococo panelling is introduced throughout, complete in one small room to the north-east of the library. An 18th-century overmantel to a doorway in the drawing room and possibly other similar 18th-century details appear in chimney pieces. A Gothic-style chimney piece appears in the north-east room, with Tudor-style panelling, cornices, and other details repeated throughout the house.