Cams Hall

Cams Hall is a country mansion built in 1781 for the Delme family by architect Jacob Laroux, located off Portchester Road, Fareham. The house has a complex building history, with its origins in the late 17th century, expanded in the 18th century, and further altered in the 19th century. The structure is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings and partially faced with Roman cement, though the slate roof and most chimneys were removed by the time of inspection in October 1989.

The house is arranged with a central block and two flanking wings. The original late 17th-century plan consisted of two parallel ranges with wings added to the south side, forming a U-shaped plan open on the south. An 18th-century addition was made to the east side, and the 1781 reordering by Laroux introduced two courtyards in the north range and added a central bow to the south elevation. The 19th century saw the roofing over of the courtyards and further alterations.

The north (entrance) elevation is the most elaborate. The central ashlar portion rises three storeys across seven bays. String courses run above the ground floor, with a cornice and parapet at the roofline. The three central bays are flanked by rusticated pilasters, with windows recessed in round-headed arcading that form a podium. Upon this podium stand engaged Ionic columns rising through the first and second floors, surmounted by a pediment. The central doorway features six moulded and fielded panels in a moulded surround with a projecting cornice. First-floor windows are set in moulded surrounds. On the second floor, three Coade stone plaques with swags occupy the window positions. The outer bays project slightly, with ground-floor windows in rusticated surrounds featuring large keystones. The side wings, formerly faced with Roman cement, are one storey tall across three wide bays each. Each wing has a keyed recess at its centre with wide flanking pilasters containing niches with vases, topped by a pediment. Flanking bays feature shallow round-headed arches flanked by recessed pilasters, each containing a doorway of six moulded and fielded panels in a moulded surround with a cornice and circular panel above.

The south (garden) elevation is of red brick. The central portion rises three storeys with a two-storey wing on each side, arranged in a 2:3:9:3:2 bay pattern. Cemented string courses, a cornice and parapet run across. The three central bays form a prominent bow of greater height than the remainder of the elevation, capped with a brick parapet surmounted by crested iron railing. Windows here have moulded surrounds, with rusticated surrounds on the ground floor and cornices projecting over. Other windows have flat brick arches. The wings project forward in two sections each; the outer two-bay sections feature pediments.

The east elevation was formerly faced with Roman cement. On the ground floor, each bay has a rectangular recess containing an arched niche, except bay three which has a segmental-arched doorway, and the central bay which has a slightly-projecting pedimented panel with stone-quoined pilasters and imposts supporting a round arch. The recess contains a blind door with a moulded surround and blind oculus above. First-floor bays are marked by raised brick panels. A parapet with stone coping crowns the elevation.

The west elevation largely dates from the 18th century, though some windows are later insertions. It features a round-arched niche to the ground floor of the right bay, a first-floor band, and a dentilled cornice.

The interior retains visible 17th-century windows. A notable 18th-century feature is an open-well stone stair with an iron balustrade incorporating square-sectioned and some scrolled balusters. Some 18th-century decorative plasterwork and cornices survive, along with doorcases, fireplaces and an overmantel of note. Additional decorative elements including doors, decorative doorheads, panelling, decorative friezes and pieces from fireplaces and fireplace surrounds were in store at the time of inspection.

At the time of inspection in October 1989, the building was derelict. Cams Hall and its associated listed buildings, including a barn, pigeon house, cart shed with loft, a small building to the east of the cart shed, and an eastern bank at Cams Hall Home Farm, form a group of local significance.