Benacre Hall

Benacre Hall is a mansion that dates back to around 1721, originally built for Thomas Carthew. It was remodeled between 1763 and 1764 by Matthew Brettingham for Sir Thomas Gooch, the 3rd Baron. The interior was gutted by a fire in 1926 but has since been restored. The building is constructed of white brick, featuring rusticated stone quoins, a stone modillion eaves cornice, and a parapet. It has a slated roof and stands three storeys tall, with a total of 11 windows arranged in a 3:5:3 pattern. The five central bays are slightly set forward and topped with a pediment that displays the Gooch family crest in the tympanum. The windows are inset sash windows with glazing bars and stone architraves. The entrance features a six-panel fielded door in two leaves, framed by a stone doorcase. There is a mid-19th century hexastyle Greek Doric portico, with a frieze that alternates the Gooch family crest with small flower motifs. The building has five-bay return fronts. The rear elevation mirrors the front but lacks a pediment over the central bays, and the ground floor windows extend to ground level. An original stone doorcase, which has been removed from the main facade, features engaged Ionic columns, an entablature, and a pediment, while the doors are from the 20th century.