Shepherds Hill Including Terracing, Steps, Gatepiers And Garden House

Shepherds Hill, including terracing, steps, gatepiers and garden house

A 18th-century farmhouse extensively remodelled by architect Edward Maufe, who lived here between 1926 and 1974. The building comprises two parallel ranges with a projecting full-height entrance porch to the north-west and a later 20th-century single-storey addition to the north-east. The structure is 2 to 3 storeys with 4 principal windows on the main fronts.

The exterior is of red brick in Flemish bond with some grey headers, a tiled roof with end brick chimneystacks, and a brick modillion cornice. The north-west entrance front features 3 sash windows to the original part of the house, 12-pane sashes to the first floor, and very tall 18-pane cambered sashes to the ground floor with concrete keystones. The full-height porch to the left has 1 12-pane sash to the first floor and a circa 1926 stone-moulded door surround with Eric Gill sculpture above. This bears a shield with 2 ravens, a lion and a figure of a man, woman and child with a row of shells (Maufe's emblem), and the motto EX FORTE DULCEDO. A large 20th-century panelled door with bronze fittings and an antique door knocker in the shape of a hand from Italy occupies the main entrance. The rainwater head has a scroll and the letter M.

The south-west elevation has 3 sashes including 2 elongated sashes with 16 panes to the lounge and a tall 15-pane sash to the dining room. The garden front to the south-east has 4 windows: 3 12-pane sashes in moulded surrounds to the first floor and a casement with stone keystone and carving in the style of Eric Gill to the right. The ground floor has 1 tall 15-pane sash lighting the dining room and a 4-pane sash to the kitchen. An early 20th-century stone doorcase in classical style with pediment and a 12-pane panelled door occupies this elevation. A projecting early 20th-century extension to the ground floor right (extended in the late 20th century) has a half-glazed door in a cambered surround. The north-east elevation is of 2 storeys with 2 6-pane sashes to the second floor, 2 12-pane sashes to the first floor and a central oval window and 2 small sashes to the ground floor. A late 20th-century single-storey and attic extension is attached here.

The entrance hall contains a round-headed alcove, concrete cornice, and an early 20th-century oak well staircase with turned balusters. Double doors of characteristic pattern lead into the lounge, which has a large coved soffit supporting the staircase above and an elaborate concrete keystone concealing a light fitting. Wooden built-in bookcases flank the double doors on each side. The ceiling has 2 beams supported on stepped corbels and a fluted cornice. An original Maufe fireplace has been replaced by an 18th-century Irish Georgian marble fireplace with urn and swag panel. The floor is of large lined oak boards. Double doors lead to the dining room, which has a travertine marble floor and 2 shell niches with bookcases below and a stepped wood and stone fire surround to the right and a similarly shaped cupboard to the left. The opposite end has 3 steps and an aluminium S-shaped handrail leading to a round-headed opening in which an Eric Gill sculpture was originally displayed. The kitchen has a chamfered axial beam, a large bressumer with lamb's tongue stop, and plank doors remaining from the 18th-century farmhouse.

Attached to the south-west is a stone terrace with low stone walls. To the north-west this becomes a brick screen wall approximately 10 feet in height incorporating 3 round-headed arches with keystone and impost blocks and a series of steps descending to a lower level with a semi-circular pond. Attached to the north-east is a low stone wall which incorporates a flight of steps with an iron handrail featuring 2 cherubs, the letter M and a shell. This leads to 2 early 20th-century brick gatepiers with stone bases and tops and an early 20th-century summerhouse.

The summerhouse is a single-storey brick structure with a tiled roof and modillion cornice. Its doorcase has a pegged architrave and a glazed door with 12 panels. It is lit by 2 15-pane sash windows and 1 8-pane sash window.