Sunbury Court

TQ 16NW SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, FORMER UD LOWER HAMPTON ROAD Sunbury 4/44 Sunbury Court 11/9/51

GV II*

Country House, now Salvation Army Conference and training centre. Early C18 core, extended in later C18 and with C19 wings. Red brick with whitewashed stucco dressings and hipped slate roofs obscured by balustraded parapet. Original house appears to be encased by end wings and forms the centre range on the south side. Two storeys over basement with multiple stacks to ends and centre. Channelled rustication on basement plinth and end piers; balustraded parapet above with square end newels crowned by urn finials. Entrance front:- five window range with central three under modillioned pediment on 4 giant Ionic pilasters. Three small square sashes to first floor centre bays in lugged architrave surrounds, larger plate sashes on ends, and ground floor, in similar surrounds. Balustraded Doric porte-cochere to ground floor centre approached from either side by curved balustraded ramps. Double doors in moulded surround to centre. South front (facing Lower Sunbury Road):- 7 bay centre range with centre three bays in pedimented break, flanked by projecting three bay end wings. Channelled rustication on end piers of each range, giant Ionic pilaster order to centre three bays with modillioned pediment above. Plate glass sash fenestration, smaller square windows to basement. Central ground floor sash window in place of former entrance with Ionic attached-column surround with vermiculated block rustication, and grotesque keystone-head over. Decorative panel above links to sill of first floor window. East face:- Similar to entrance front but with paired Ionic pilasters either side of centre range and small Doric portico approached up a flight of stone steps with swept balusters and end columns under spherical caps. Interiors:- Staircase Hall:- D-shaped with guilloche frieze and late C18 decoration. Lugged panels to walls and triglyph and floral metope frieze cornice. 5-scroll wrought-iron railing with mahogany banister to stairs. Lugged ceiling panels with gilt bosses above. Broken pediments to door-cases with Ionic pilaster and columns flanking in "Venetian" arrangement. Music Room:- Deep panelled rich gilt ceiling with centre rose. Flower decoration in panels. Gilt wood pier glass mirrors fixed into wall panelling. Scrolled stone fireplace. Dining Room:- broken pediment door case; panelled doors and reveals. Arcadian wall paintings on panels by Swedish painter Elias Martin 1768-1780 with egg and dart lugged plaster surround Grisaille over-door paintings of frolicking cherubs. Mid C19 conference hall with panelled walls, in Gothic style. Trefoil piercing to main roof braces.

PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) p.470. BEAUTIES OF ENGLAND & WALES (1816) Vol. X. Part IV.

Listing NGR: TQ1166069085