Basildon Park

Basildon Park is a mansion built between 1776 and 1783 by the architect John Carr in the Palladian style. Some alterations and internal details were added by J.B. Papworth between 1839 and 1842.

The house is constructed of Bath stone ashlar with a rusticated basement and a raised band above. The centre block follows a bay rhythm of 3:3:3:7:3:3:3. It rises three storeys (basement, piano nobile, and attic) with seven bays and glazing bar sashes throughout. The focal point is a central tetrastyle Ionic portico in antis set over a slightly projecting basement with a triangular pediment above. The roofline features a dentil cornice, parapet, and hipped slate roof with six stacks and a central light well.

The basement is defined by a plinth and rusticated stonework with a raised band above. The first floor has a cill string, and the cornice runs below at attic level. The attic windows have architraves; three central windows contain two-light casements. First floor windows are accompanied by balustrading beneath, architraves, and cornices. Three central basement arches form a loggia with paired Doric columns and pilasters, with a panelled plaster ceiling decorated with paterae and husks. The entrance features central half glazed double doors with a fanlight, flanked by two arched glazing bar sashes. Twin internal staircases with wrought iron balustrades lead to a portico with a first floor balustrade and a rich soffit including dentil cornice, paterae, and guilloche ornament. The central double doors date from circa 1840.

The flanking pavilions are also of Bath stone ashlar with plinths, plat bands above ground floor windows, and first floor cill strings. They feature dentil cornices with triangular pediments to slate roofs with central ridge stacks. Each has a rectangular plan with recessed corners, two storeys, and three bays of glazing bar sashes. First floor windows have balustrading beneath; ground floor windows are arched.

Screen walls flank each pavilion. These are ashlar structures with plinths and raised bands below alternating solid and balustraded parapets. They are one storey tall with three bays of glazing bar sashes and central six-panelled doors with architraves and cornices.

The rear elevation of the centre block contains five bays with a central canted bay and balustraded parapet. A central first floor Venetian window features Ionic columns and antae supporting a frieze and cornice. Central ground floor half glazed double doors are set within the elevation. Screen walls flanking the rear feature two niches either side of a central six-panelled door with architrave and triangular pediment. The side elevations comprise six bays to the centre block, with bracketed cornices to first floor windows, and four bays to the pavilions.

The interior retains a Neo-classical scheme principally by Carr, with later work by Papworth. The plasterwork is largely of 18th-century quality and is probably mainly the work of William Roberts. Several fittings were brought from Panton Hall in Lincolnshire, also by John Carr, replacing items sold after 1928.

The Entrance Hall contains paired Corinthian pilasters supporting a rich frieze and sumptuously plastered coved ceiling. Wall plasterwork includes griffons and military trophies above doors. Fireplace doors and doorcases come from Panton. The Library features a rich frieze with griffons, and its door surround, dado rail, fireplace, and bookcases are from Panton. The Staircase Hall is a double height space lit from above by two lunettes on each side; Carr's original groin vault was replaced with a flat roof after the Second World War. It retains a rich triglyph frieze and cornice with guttae. A five-flight square well staircase has a bracketed balcony with decorated plaster soffit, and two arches lead to a groin vaulted corridor on the third floor. The wrought iron balustrading features medallions, and wall plasterwork includes griffons.

The Dining Room features a segmental tunnel vault, rich frieze, and panelled ceiling, with a screen of Corinthian columns to the west. Stuccoed wall panels bear facsimiles of original grisaille allegories by Theodore de Bruyn; later Papworth paintings were removed after 1928. Doorcases and chimneypiece are from Panton. The Octagon Drawing Room was completed by Papworth with a rich panelled ceiling and a Venetian window with Roman Doric columns. The Green Drawing Room retains a Carr ceiling and cornice, with doors, doorcases, and a chimneypiece from Panton. The Lower Hall contains Corinthian columns, which replaced Doric columns from the original loggia removed after 1928, alongside a flagged floor, panelled ceiling, and frieze by Carr. The Billiard Room is octagonal with Ionic columns, which replaced Corinthian columns removed after 1928, and features a frieze by Carr. Several bedrooms retain Carr fittings, and a shell room is decorated with shells.

The house was built for Sir Francis Sykes, an employee of the East India Company. It was sold to James Morrison in 1838 and completed internally by J.B. Papworth. This is a very complete and important example of a John Carr house.