Basing House

Basing House is a house, dating to circa 1926, designed by C Nicholas and J E Dixon-Spain for Frank Rye, MP. It has undergone some mid- and late-20th century additions and alterations. The house is constructed of thin purple-red brick in Flemish bond, with orange-brick quoins. It has a hipped roof covered in plain tiles and brick stacks. The design is in the late-17th/early-18th century style, featuring leaded cross-windows in the centre of the entrance elevation, and unhorned 12- or 15-pane sash windows in flush wooden architraves elsewhere. These windows are set under flat gauged brick arches with recessed apron panels. Other details include a plat band, deep eaves with a modillion cornice, segmental-headed six-pane sashes to dormers, moulded caps to the chimneys, re-used lead rainwater pipes and hoppers. The house is two storeys with an attic, comprising seven by two bays, with a single-storey former service wing on the right side, extended forward as a garage circa 1958, and further additions to the rear in 1984.

The entrance elevation is arranged with a recessed central section flanked by two and three bays each side. The central entrance has a step leading to a six-panelled door within a bolection-moulded architrave, featuring narrow panels to the sides and above, a dentil-detailed segmental pediment, and panelled reveals. There are three dormers on this elevation. The rear elevation features a step leading to a central French window with an overlight containing latticed glazing bars, accompanied by three dormers. The left return side showcases two French windows below 16-pane sash windows, which flank a large re-used sundial.

The interior is characterized by richly-moulded woodwork, including panelled doors and architraves, some of which are re-used. These include archivolted entrances in the Hall with decorative spandrels. Other features include ceiling mouldings, an open-well staircase with re-used twist balusters and a moulded handrail, and ornate fireplaces. The fireplaces in the principal rooms on both floors are re-used, with the drawing-room fireplace having a particularly fine surround and pedimented overmantel. Fire-backs were re-used in the dining- and drawing-room fireplaces. Two bedroom fireplaces have Delft tile surrounds, and another has floral tiles. Oil paintings are displayed within two archivolts in the Hall. An electric candelabra is located in the entrance lobby. Original 1920s cupboards are found in the kitchen and butler’s pantry, along with a corner cupboard in the former study and wall cupboards in the bedrooms.

Basing House is a high-quality 1920s house incorporating numerous fine late-17th/early-18th century details.