The Grove

The Grove is a country house, now used as offices, with origins dating to the late 16th century. It was substantially rebuilt around 1720 for W or C Buck and altered between 1754 and 1761 by M. Brettingham for the Hon. T. Villiers. Sir R. Taylor made further alterations around 1780 for Villiers, who later became the 1st Earl of Clarendon, and E. Blore raised a storey and added extensions between 1870 and 1875 for the 4th Earl. Mid-20th century alterations and extensions also occurred.

The house is primarily of red brick with slate and tile roofing. Originally an H-shaped plan, it was reduced to a T-shape during the 1720 rebuild, with a wing added to the left of the main range. Taylor rebuilt the right wing, creating a new entrance front. The south-facing original entrance front has three storeys and a 2:3:2 bay arrangement. Giant Roman Doric pilasters articulate the main range. The ground floor features French windows with gauged brick cambered heads, and a central aedicular surround with double pilasters. A plat band sits above the ground floor, supporting sash windows with gauged brick cambered heads and stone sills. A cornice defines the 19th-century attic storey, which has smaller six-pane sashes with flat-arched brick heads. A larger round-headed sash, with an apron panel and key blocked surround within an aedicular frame, is centrally positioned above a 20th-century stone-coped parapet. Axial stacks are present.

The block rebuilt by Taylor, to the right and set back slightly, has three bays and features glazing bar sashes with flat-arched heads and stone sills. A simpler moulded cornice defines the attic. Chamfered brick quoins are present on the right return or entrance front, which has a 1:3:1 bay arrangement, with a slightly projecting centre. A 20th-century brick porch with part-glazed doors, pilasters and a pediment sits centrally, with round-headed sashes flanking it on the ground floor. The first floor has sashes, and a simple cornice defines the attic. Chamfered brick quoins are visible on the outer bays, which feature slightly projecting ground floor tripartite sashes with brick mullions, cornices, and apron panels. Projecting ends are also present.

The left wing has a re-entrant elevation of four bays, with a two-storey quadrant angle and a 19th-century full-height bow with three windows. This bow includes ground floor French windows, plat band, cornice, and chamfered brick quoins. The left return has varied bay arrangements, including a projecting centre and ends and ground floor French windows, some with pilaster and cornice surrounds, flanking cambered heads. A plat band is positioned above the ground floor, supporting glazing bar sashes with stone sills and cambered heads. A cornice defines the attic. Giant Roman Doric angle pilasters articulate the central three bays. Chamfered brick quoins are visible on the end bays. The rear features two- and three-storey service ranges constructed in red, plum, and yellow stock brick during the 19th century, with glazing bar sashes, plat bands, dentilled brick eaves, and hipped roofs.

The interior includes a lecture room with a notable chimneypiece, doors, and ceiling, along with a library with a chimneypiece and bookshelves, both designed by Taylor. 20th-century additions to the north are not of special interest.