The Grove

TQ 09 NE SARRATT GROVE MILL LANE (Northeast side) Watford 6/305 The Grove (Formerly listed as Grove 15.11.73 House in the civil parish of Watford Rural)

GV II*

Country house, now offices. Late C16 origins. Rebuilt c.1720 for W or C Buck. Altered 1754-61 by M. Brettingham for the Hon T. Villiers. Extended and altered c.1780 by Sir R. Taylor for Villiers, now 1st Earl of Clarendon. Raised a storey, altered and extended c.1870-5 by E. Blore for the 4th Earl. Altered and extended mid C20. Red brick. Slate and tile roof. Originally probably an H plan reduced to a T with wing to left of main range in c.1720 rebuild. Right wing rebuilt by Taylor with new entrance front. 3 storeys. Original S facing entrance front, 2:3:2, main range articulated by Giant Roman Doric pilasters. Ground floor French windows with gauged brick cambered heads, central aedicular surround with double pilasters. Plat band to first floor, glazing bar sashes with gauged brick cambered heads, stone sills. Cornice to C19 attic storey: small 6 pane sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads, pilaster strips articulate each bay. To centre a larger round headed sash with apron panel and key blocked surround in an aedicular frame with pediment rising above C20 stone coped parapet. Cross axial stacks. To right and set back slightly is 3 bay block by Taylor. Glazing bar sashes, flat arched heads, stone sills. Simpler moulded cornice to attic. Chamfered brick quoins to right return or present entrance front. 1:3:1 with slightly projecting centre. C20 steps up to central brick porch. Part glazed doors, pilasters and pediment. Flanking round headed sashes, first floor sashes, simple cornice to attic. Chamfered brick quoins to outer bays which have slightly projecting ground floor tripartite sashes with brick mullions, cornices, apron panels. Chamfered quoins at ends. Projecting left wing with 4 bay re-entrant elevation, 2 storey quadrant in angle, C19 full height bow with 3 windows, ground floor tripartite sash, 2nd floor outer windows are blind. To left of bow blind windows on each floor with an attic sash. Another C19 full height bow with 3 windows to front, ground floor French windows, plat band, cornice and chamfered brick quoins. Left return 1:2:3:2:1 with projecting centre and ends. Plinth. Ground floor French windows that to centre with pilaster and cornice surround, flanking cambered heads. Plat band to first floor glazing bar sashes with stone sills, cambered heads. Cornice to attic. Giant Roman Doric angle pilasters articulate central 3 bays. Chamfered brick quoins to end bays. To rear 2 and 3 storey red, plum and yellow stock brick C19 service ranges with glazing bar sashes, plat bands, dentilled brick eaves, hipped roofs. Interior: lecture room chimneypiece, doors and ceiling, library chimneypiece and bookshelves by Taylor. C20 additions to N not of special interest. (VCH 1908: Pevsner 1977: RCHM Typescript: D. Lovett The Grove Story, 1984).

Listing NGR: TQ0821298789