Hertingfordbury Park

Country house, subsequently convent and now elderly persons residential home. Early 17th century with large-scale 19th and 20th century extensions. Red brick with ground floor centre part colourwashed, Flemish bond, old tiled roofs. The original building has a three-cell lobby entry plan, five bays externally, with a later 17th century north wing, much altered and extended in the 19th century with cross wings at either end to create an H-plan.

EXTERIOR: Two storeys and attics. The first floor centre range has two two-light and two three-light stucco-mullioned and architraved windows with lattice pattern cast-iron casements, and a two-light window in a central brick gabled attic dormer, with moulded band at first-floor level. The ground floor has similar but taller windows—three three-light and one two-light—with a projecting porch to the left of centre, early 19th century, featuring a brick Tudor arch with chamfered intrados and jambs, dripmould, and parapeted gable to old tiled roof. The 19th century Jacobean style cross wings to left and right are of larger scale with two-storey canted bay windows with artificial stone mullions and transoms, lattice glazed casements, brick spandrels and bases. Moulded stone band at first-floor level, parapet with stone coping and pedestal finials above, and tall Dutch gables with stone copings, central finial, and two-light stone mullioned attic windows with stone surround and dripmoulds.

The rear elevation has two Dutch gabled wings, that at left having a large segmental bay window on ground floor. A late 1980s extension containing escape staircases to the right, and left-hand Dutch gable recessed behind the projecting gable of the north wing which has stucco-surrounded and mullioned windows with dripmoulds—five light on first floor, three light on ground floor. The recessed centre has a 19th century single-storey lean-to garden porch at left, with stucco-surrounded Tudor arch with twin leaf lattice half-glazed hardwood doors and gable with moulded brick copings. To the right is a tall late 19th century staircase and landing bay, part roofed with ten light artificial stone mullion and transom window with lattice leaded light glazing. To the east is a large wing of two storeys and attics, added in 1953 when the building was in use as a convent.

The roofs feature gabled dormers, prominent 19th century stone-coped Dutch gables and brick-coped gables, and red brick chimneys with 17th century octagonal brick flues. The originals have four shafts on ridge left of centre and at right of central range, with the remainder being 19th century copies.

INTERIOR: Much altered and remodelled in late 19th century, with few earlier features visible. Entry into the vestibule is through an area occupied by a large chimney on the first floor, but some chamfered beams with tongue stops appear to be 17th century originals. The staircase hall has an elaborate 19th century open well stair with cut string, iron-twist and urn balusters. Main rooms have 19th century plaster cornices and fireplaces. The first floor has exposed chamfered beams on the landing, a 17th century chimneybreast, and a 17th century mullioned window with cast-iron lattice casements. The roof over the central range is 17th century with halved and pegged rafters and butt purlins.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Hertingfordbury Park was a favourite royal hunting ground associated with Hertford Castle. It should not be confused with an earlier house of the name located elsewhere on the estate, built in 1685 and demolished in 1816. It was after that date that the present house was transformed into a country house, with most of the work dating from the late 19th century. The park had been created before 1285 and was acquired by Sir John Harrington in the reign of Charles I. The lodge was converted into 'a good house', which may refer to the early 17th century core of the present Hertingfordbury Park.