Silverlands

Silverlands

Large country house, later orphanage and nurses training school. Originally built by local brewer Robert Porter after 1814, the house was substantially rebuilt in the 1820s by Vice Admiral Sir Henry Hotham. It was further extended around 1845 and again in the later 19th century. Early 20th-century Classical style additions were made, including an entrance lobby and library, probably by Sir John Brunner who lived here between 1907–1908 and 1919. The building is constructed mainly of yellow brick with some brown brick and stone dressings, with slate roofs. The plan comprises three sides of a courtyard with an additional service courtyard attached to the west. The house rises to one, two or three storeys with irregular fenestration.

The east front appears to be the earliest part, possibly incorporating some early 19th-century remains in the northern section, though most dates to circa 1845. This front is of stock brick with stone dressings and a hipped slate roof. The central section is three storeys with five windows. The windows are sashes with mid-19th-century central glazing bars only to the upper floors, while the ground floor has larger sashes without glazing bars. The ground floor features moulded architraves with cornices and a central pediment on brackets, probably originally a doorcase. The entablature includes a moulded eaves cornice, a modillion cornice above the first floor, a band between ground and first floors, end quoins and a plinth. The west front is distinguished by a tall, Barry-like Italianate square tower with oculi to the top stage.

The centre of the east front is flanked by setback wings to north and south, also of stock brick with slate roof, each two storeys with three windows. Both wings have modillion cornices, bands between floors and end quoins. The north wing return features three early 19th-century 12-pane sashes to the first floor, two cambered blanks to the ground floor, and a large tripartite window with stone architrave, cornice and brackets. The south wing return is of mid-19th-century character, two storeys with eight windows, including two splayed end bays each containing three windows; these are sashes without glazing bars. The centre of the south front has a splayed porch with balustrade above, supported on two Ionic columns and two pilasters.

Attached to the east is an early 20th-century library extension of stone, one storey with a splayed bay on the south side containing two 24-pane sashes with Gibbs surrounds and a central doorcase; the west side has a similar tripartite window. To the northeast is a later 19th-century brown brick attached block of two storeys with six windows featuring cambered-headed sashes without glazing bars. At the east end is an elaborate early 20th-century Neo-Classical stone entrance lobby, rusticated with parapet and pediment bearing an elaborate shield. The lobby features engaged paired Ionic columns, a panelled door, rectangular fanlight and sashes to east and west. Attached to the west is a two-storey brick block, probably a former stable courtyard.

The entrance hall contains elaborate early 20th-century Neo-Georgian panelling with full-height panels, putti with swags, and fasces above a striped and checked marble fireplace. An elaborate early 20th-century main staircase features carved oak balustrading, square newel posts with carved swags, a gallery, panelling and fluted Ionic columns. One ground floor room retains a circa 1845 Adam style plastered ceiling with columns; another has early 20th-century dado panelling, a doorcase with Gibbs surround and a coffered ceiling with bracket cornice. The library is fitted with plank and muntin panelling, four putti with swags above a marble fireplace with console brackets, and a florid coffered ceiling with semi-circular glazed skylight.

The building was constructed as a private house and served as a war hospital during the First World War. From 1938 it became home to the Actors' Orphanage, established for "destitute children of actors and actresses", and subsequently served as a nurses' training school for St Peter's Hospital.