The Mansion

The Mansion is a large house built between 1906 and 1908 by George Hubbard, for Sir John Evans, an archaeologist. It was constructed by H and J Matthews, Berkhamsted builders. The house is built of English bond purple brick with red brick dressings, topped with a hipped tile roof featuring a large wooden modillion eaves cornice. It has brick axial stacks with moulded brick cornices.

The plan consists of a double-depth central block with a central entrance and stair hall, and long flanking wings designed to appear as separate building phases. The architectural style is Queen Anne.

The 2-storey and attic main block is arranged as 1:4:2 bays, with the central four bays projecting forward. A large pediment sits above the centre, and the two central bays project further with rusticated brick pilasters, a string course and a central doorway featuring Tuscan columns and consoles supporting an open segmental pediment over a shell. The flanking wings, two bays to the right projecting and four bays to the left set back, have giant brick pilasters, panelled on the ground floor and a moulded string course. A further two-bay wing is set back on the left, with a pedimental, three-window gable end.

The rear (south) garden front features a three-bay centre block with two-storey canted bays, a central doorway, a pedimented attic flanked by segmental pedimented dormers, a four-bay wing recessed on the right and a three-bay wing set back on the left, incorporating a sundial dated 1649.

Most of the original 12-pane sashes remain, set in exposed casings, along with flat-roofed dormers with sashes.

Inside, a heavy moulded string staircase features twisted balusters. A room at the west end, the dining room, retains reused panelling, a carved Jacobean overmantel, a stone fireplace, and a late 16th to early 17th century style moulded plaster ceiling. A room to the west of the front entrance has panelling, a carved overmantel (possibly reused) and a moulded plaster ceiling. The library on the first floor at the east end has a fine kite pattern moulded plaster ceiling and a reused Jacobean carved overmantel and stone fireplace.

The house was originally known as Britwell.