Eliot House

Eliot House

A house with attached garden walls, built in 1925 and dated on the overthrow. Designed by P.D. Hepworth for Charles Ryan. Formerly known as White Walls.

The building is constructed of whitewashed brick with green-glazed pantile roofs and white painted shutters, originally turquoise. It is symmetrically planned on the axis of the main gates. The composition comprises five bays, breaking forward from a recessed centre to form flanking wings, arranged over two storeys and attics.

The architectural detailing includes rusticated brick quoins, with the uppermost quoin under the eaves executed in tiles. The roofs are hipped and half-hipped with plain oversailing eaves. The central entrance features a round-headed eared architrave with a pronounced keystone and swept base. The door is of six fielded panels beneath a fanlight. Above this is a 4 x 4 pane sash with glazing bars between white painted shutters. A small-paned dormer casement sits in a segmental-headed eared architrave with swept base. Behind rises a tall white painted stack with chamfered angles, a staged base and moulded cap.

The flanking bays contain tall first floor 4 x 8 pane sashes with glazing bars above small ground floor vents with lozenge grilles under keystones. The outer wings stand under half-hipped roofs. At ground floor level are 4 x 5 pane sashes with glazing bars, above which are similar 4 x 4 pane sashes with glazing bars, all with shutters. Tall stacks are set laterally on each rear roof, treated similarly to the central stack.

The rear elevation is symmetrical except for a small ground floor extension at a right angle, treated as the main house. A five bay central block rises two storeys with attics beneath a swept hipped roof. Set back behind are flanking two storey single bays. The central feature is a French window with small panes (part repaired) under a segmental arch. Above it sits a flat canopy carrying an iron balustrade. Flanking full height sashes with glazing bars sit under segmental arches with keystones. The first floor contains five 4 x 4 pane sashes with glazing bars and shutters, each above a recessed brick apron. Three flat-roofed dormer casements with small panes light the attics. To the left is a ground floor 4 x 5 pane sash with glazing bars, above which sits a similar 4 x 4 pane sash. The right bay is similarly treated but with the ground floor pushed forward, featuring a large opening behind a grille. The left return comprises two bays with ground floor French windows treated as the rear elevation, above which are two 4 x 4 pane sashes with glazing bars and shutters, separated by a narrow 2 x 4 pane light. The right return, the service end, possibly has a renewed door and windows. Tripartite sashes with glazing bars appear to both storeys with a part glazed door.

The interior plan form is largely intact except for a rear room that has been broken through to the extension. The interior is simply treated with little ornament. A closed string stair with square newels and twisted balusters, all painted, features an oak rail. Doors with vertical panels are said to be original except for an exact copy serving the extension. The fireplaces have been removed.

Attached to the house are screen walls and gate piers, constructed of whitewashed brick with thin stone coping. Square gate piers carry moulded stone caps, some of which support urns.