Thorndon Hall

Thorndon Hall, Brentwood

Large country house, now converted into 84 apartments. Built 1764–70 to designs by James Paine for Lord Petre. The building is constructed of stock brick with stone dressings and slate roofs.

The plan comprises a rectangular centre block with quadrant wings connecting to rectangular pavilion blocks at each end, creating a total facade length of 185 metres. The composition unites a long, centrally porticoed Palladian palace with outer pavilions in the increasingly fashionable villa style (1:3:1 proportion).

The centre and west end were burnt out in 1878 and allowed to decay until conversion of the entire complex, including the stables, in 1980.

North Principal Facade

The centre block has 11 bays with centre and end bays breaking forward (1-3-3-3-1). A rusticated podium supports the first floor piano nobile and second floor (originally 3 storeys). Narrow sunk panels between the first and second floors in the central and adjacent 3 bays on each side have been opened up as windows to create 4 storeys. Single bay ends remain 3 storeys with balustraded cornice parapets flanking the central pedimented 3 bays.

All windows are sashes with glazing bars. Ground floor windows have 3x3 panes. The central doorway has Tuscan columns, a triglyph frieze and cornice but is now blocked and contains a similar window to the rest. Between ground and first floor runs a contrasting chamfered string course.

Piano nobile windows are all 3x5 panes with balustered aprons. Outer bays (1 and 11) have sunk Ionic Venetian surrounds. Bays 3 and 9 have pediments. Bays 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10 have moulded architraves. The centre bay (6) features a sunk round-headed recess with Ionic attached columns. The sunk panels are now glazed windows with plain 3x2 panes. Original second floor windows have moulded architraves and 3x3 panes.

South Garden Elevation

The rear elevation is similar but more dramatic. End bays break forward and the central 5 bays feature a deep hexastyle Corinthian portico with round-headed loggia openings in the podium. The five central windows of the piano nobile are round-headed with 3x6 panes and radiating glazing bars in the heads. The central window is combined with an 8-panelled 2-leaf door.

Windows of bays 1 and 11 sit in sunk, round-headed panels with moulded architraves and segmental pediments. Windows of bays 2, 3, 9 and 10 have simple cornice heads. Sunk panels between first and second floors in bays 2 to 9 are now glazed as on the front elevation.

East Elevation

The central block continues the systems of front and back with balustraded cornice parapet but a plain podium defined by string course. Five storeys, 6 bays. All windows are 3x3 panes except on the third floor which are 3x2 panes. The 3rd bay from north has a projecting porch with Tuscan columns, a triglyph frieze, and a round-headed doorway with fanlight containing a 20th-century 8-panelled 2-leaved door.

West Elevation

Similar to the east elevation but 5 bays with a central porch. Two waterheads are dated 1766. Both end elevations have a 20th-century plain metal door adjacent to the porch.

Quadrant Wings

North front: Each quadrant comprises 9 bays with a rusticated podium featuring round arch-headed recesses and an Ionic trabeate piano nobile with attached columns on bases, frieze with cornice. A small attic with cornice parapet contains a round-headed niche in each bay.

East quadrant ground floor: Bay nearest centre (1) has a passageway. Bays 5 and 9 have doorways. Remaining bays have round-headed windows with 3x2 panes and radiating glazing bars to heads.

West quadrant: Similar arrangement, with bay 1 (nearest centre) having a passageway, bays 4 and 7 having doorways, and remaining bays matching the east quadrant.

South rear elevation: Ground floor rooms with lean-to roof above to wall (niches to front). All 8 openings are segment-headed. Central 2 are doorways with 3-panel doors with fanlights. Six windows all have 3x2 panes.

East quadrant (2-storeyed): Essentially 9 bays with central 2-bayed projection, formerly a chapel. Ground floor openings are segment-headed: 3 doors with 6 panels and fanlights, and 4 windows with 3x2 panes. First floor has 7 simple 3x4-paned windows. The projecting bow has 3 ground-floor 3x2-paned windows and a large first floor central triple window under a depressed segment-headed arch, with the centre as a French window to a balcony and blind window recesses either side.

End Pavilions

Both pavilions resemble large 18th-century houses. North front elevation: 3 broad bays with central pedimented bay breaking forward. Hipped roofs slated with chimney-stacks at bay junctions. Three storeys continuing the rusticated podium and piano nobile system from centre block and quadrants.

West pavilion (least altered): Ground floor has a central doorway with 20th-century metal and glass gate, with a window either side of 2x2 sashes and similar windows in each outer bay. First floor features a central depressed arch-headed recess rising to second floor height with principal pedimented window. Cornice-headed windows flank either side, all three windows with 3x4 panes and balustered aprons. Second floor has plain windows: 2 outer of 3x2 panes, 2 inner of 2x2 panes, and a segment-headed 3-light window high in the depressed arch.

East pavilion: Similar to west but with an additional ground floor rusticated 3-window range projection to the east bay with flat balustraded roof and 3x5-paned windows.

Pavilion inner side elevations: Continuing rusticated podium and piano nobile system. Three floors, 5 bays with visible roof hips and stacks and eaves cornice. Windows mainly plain except central 3 on first floor with moulded architraves, 2 with cornice heads, and central one with a pediment. Ground floor windows 3x2 panes, first floor 3x4 panes, second floor 3x2 panes.

Pavilion outer side elevations: Continue 3-floor system. East pavilion has rusticated podium while west pavilion is in plain brick. Five bays with all windows segment-headed: ground floor 3x2 panes, first floor 3x4 panes, second floor 3x2 panes. West pavilion has a central doorway under segment head with 2 panelled units and panelled door between. East pavilion has 3 doorways, each with a 2-leaved 8-panelled door, the central door with a cornice hood.

Interior

The interior is now completely altered. A central void in the central block opens to the sky. Apartments are ranged around with central open stair and corridor access. Pavilions have central, full-height, top-lit staircases with apartments set round on each floor. The quadrant wings are similarly converted with each apartment occupying 4 bays. The original chapel in the east quadrant survived in a ruined state but is now an apartment.

James Paine, the architect, worked between 1735 and 1770 and was described as "unquestionably the leading house architect in the country --- till Mr Robert Adam entered the lists" (Summerson J: Architecture in Britain 1530–1830: 219–220).