The Grange

HARWICH

609-1/0/10005 FRONKS ROAD 13-OCT-04 Dovercourt The Grange

II Large house, now sixth form college. c.1911. H. Steward Watling for H.G. Hepworth. Red brick with rendered and close-studded first floor under tiled hipped and gabled roofs; tall brick chimneystacks with corbelled caps. Wooden framed windows, many with leaded lights. Vernacular Revival style, 2-storey house. EXTERIOR: GARDEN ELEVATION has pair of gables to left with studs and curved braces between render, projecting over canted 2-storey bay windows with rendered first floors that have nautical relief sculptures. A tall ridge chimneystack behind each gable, and these flank a first floor balcony supported by timber columns. Gabled dormer to left. To right, deep sloping hipped roof with flat roofed dormer, and pair of chimneys to end, first floor with close-studding and mid-rail. LEFT return elevation has similarly detailed advanced gable with nautical relief then close-studding at first floor continues around to FRONKS ROAD ELEVATION. This has full height canted entrance bay to right with steep gabled porch supported on wooden columns and with shallow segmental vault to wood panelled front door; round windows to canted returns; first floor has stained glass windows and rises to through eaves to parapet with curved cut-out and flat roofed dormer behind. To centre, a large advanced gabled range similarly detailed to those at garden elevation. INTERIOR: Entrance vestibule wood panelled with small stained glass windows leading to main hall with wood panelled ceiling, panelled dado and plastered upper walls framed with narrow pilasters, to east wall a tall C17 style wooden chimneypiece. Interiors also include a large Classical marble fireplace, smaller marble fireplaces, and cast iron fireplaces with classical detailing; plastered ceilings and ceiling roses, and moulded cornices. Main stair has fluted balusters and newels with capitals, and landing has 4 stained glass windows each with a royal portrait. Stair to attic has stick balusters and square plan newel chamfered to polygonal cushion caps. HISTORY: Date stone to wall of verandah 'Laid by M.M.H Feb.18 1911'.

Large former house of 1911 by local architect H. Steward Watling with little-altered vernacular revival exterior and a number of fine interiors with plasterwork and panelling as well as nautical relief plaques.