Swallowfield Park And Adjoining Stable Block

Swallowfield Park is a large country house with an adjoining stable block, now converted into residential apartments, situated within parkland. The main house was originally built in the late 17th century by John Talman for the second Earl of Clarendon, and was extensively adapted and altered in 1820 by William Atkinson for Sir Henry Russell. A restoration was carried out around 1975. The house is constructed of rendered brick and brick, with hipped slate roofs of varying heights. The principal block follows an H-plan, with wings projecting to the entrance front and further wings at the rear.

The south-west front features a five-bay central section with a central doorway surmounted by a rectangular fanlight, protected by a Greek Doric porch with corner piers and an entablature that spans over paired columns. Flanking this central section are projecting wings, each containing two bays. The north-east front is similar in design, but lacks a porch and incorporates niches between the windows. The south-east front has nine bays, with the central three bays projecting slightly, accentuated by four Doric pilasters and an entablature. Sash windows with glazing bars are set within architrave surrounds.

The stable block is centred on an arcaded courtyard, open to the west, and adjoins the main block on the north and south corners of the north-west wing. The southern section of the stable block projects forward of the main house, featuring a plinth, strings at first floor level and over the first floor windows, and a panelled parapet. The stable block contains segmental-headed sash windows with glazing bars. A four-bay section is present, with the right-hand bay slightly set back and a half-glazed door under an arched, radiating, and wreathed fanlight. To the left of this is an arched stable entrance flanked by pilasters reaching the full height, finished with stone caps and a casement window above the arch. A bell turret with a cupola sits atop the roof. A corresponding archway is repeated in the opposite wing. Both wings have arcaded corridors on their inner faces, now enclosed with round-headed windows with glazing bars. A southern wing extends to the left of the archway, and at right angles, running south-west, is a long extension of 12 bays with an arched entrance of a similar design.

The interior entrance hall boasts a marble floor, a carved stone fireplace with egg and dart and acanthus leaf mouldings, panelled door and window reveals, and arched fanlights over two doors leading to an oval vestibule on the garden side. The vestibule displays a marble floor, an ornate stucco ceiling divided into eight panels with swags, festoons, and garlands, four niches with shell heads, moulded and curved wall panelling, a moulded ceiling cornice, and six-panelled doors with broken pediments. This space is believed to be part of Talman's original design; the stone doorway, also listed separately, formed the entry from the garden until 1820. A house has existed on the site since very early times.