Augusta Villa

A house of about 1840 probably designed by George Gutch (c.1790-1874) in a Neo-Classical style.

MATERIALS and PLAN: rendered and colourwashed brick with a slate roof. The building has two storeys with a basement and attic.

EXTERIOR: the road front, facing north-west, has three bays symmetrically disposed. At the centre is a projecting porch which has paired pilasters at either side of its portal which rise to a plain entablature which extends across the front. The porch is approached by a flight of steps, and the flanks have narrow lights. The door is panelled and half-glazed, with decorative metal studs. To either side are windows with three long panes to each sash. At first floor level are three sash windows, each having 3X4 panes. Above these a frieze and cornice cross the front, with a blocking course. There is a balcony with metal balustrade above the porch and similar balconies in front of the lateral windows.

The gabled flanks have first- floor and attic storey windows at their centres.

The rear has three bays with a long, round-arched staircase window to the projecting central bay, above a doorway. At either side are sash windows of 3X4 panes with gently cambered heads. The staircase bay is flanked by C20 single-storey additions and there is an added, glazed porch in front of the door of similar date.

INTERIOR: the central entrance hall leads through to the dogleg staircase which has tulip balusters and a mahogany handrail with a wreathed curtail. The cornice has paterae. To the eastern side of the hall the front reception room has a pair of Ionic scagliola columns with pilaster responds which appear to have originally flanked a sideboard recess, but the rear wall of this feature has now been removed to connect with the rear room which has been converted to a kitchen. The cornice in the front room is richly decorated and there is a ceiling rose with acanthus leaves and paterae. The reception room on the western side of the hall has a central recess flanked by cupboards, all with moulded timber surrounds. This central opening may have originally connected to the rear room on this side, but it is now blocked. Fire surrounds at both ground and first-floor levels are original and of veined or variegated marble. Doors have four panels.