Great Ruffins

TL 81 SE GREAT TOTHAM BEACON HILL Wickham Bishops

4/102 Great Ruffins

• II*

House. Circa 1904. A.H. Mackmurdo. Brick built and rough rendered. Slate roofs, hipped to left and right crosswings. Chimney stacks not visible from front. Symmetrical. 2 storeys. The tall square central tower is balustraded and surmounted by an octagonal domed lantern. Small unglazed lanterns to right and left hipped roofs. The tower breaks forward from the centre bays, these with recurved walls to ground floor. Forward right and left crosswings are jettied and have central oriels. Projecting and heavily moulded and dentilled cornices to eaves, jetties and tower balustrade. Ionic angle pilasters to crosswings, oriels and above eaves level to tower, the latter with moulded band at eaves level and plain pilasters above first floor level. Forward of these pilasters the semi-circular porch with flat canopy supported by 4 Ionic columns and 2 pilasters on a plinth is attached to square pillars with ball finials. 6 panelled door in moulded surround. The tower has 2 upper long round headed windows with imposts and keystones to each face, plaster panelling to each face. 2 panels of heavy balusters to each face with square pillars between. Pilasters to lantern angles and smaller windows similar to those in the tower to each face, ribbed dome with heavy finial. The smaller lanterns to crosswings are similar, on plain octagonal bases. The octagonal shafts with imposts, round head arches with keystones, ribbed dome, square supports to finials. Window ranges. Ground floor 3:1:0:1:3 with small circular lights to left and right of porch. The plain outer 3 windows with moulded pilaster and frieze surrounds, the inner windows with round heads and glazing bars and similar surrounds. First floor 1:3:0:3:1. Those to oriels plain 3 light in moulded surrounds, the inner 3 each of 2 light casements with round heads and glazing bars. To the rear the crosswings are semi-octagonal with 2 or 3 light casements in recessed arches. Dormers to roof. 5 long light round headed windows to central range, cornice with balusters to balcony over, stepped, back flat roofed first floor with recessed access to tower. To left is the flat roofed 2 storey service wing with former corridor scullery and forward living accommodation to left. This with central door, right and left windows and one first floor window. No entry allowed at time of re-survey, but interior said by owner to be intact.

Listing NGR: TL8520912666