Broadoaks

TQ 06 SW 71/2/10006

PARVIS ROAD, West Byfleet Broadoaks

GV II

Detached country house, recently in use as offices. 1876 by Ernest Seth-Smith for his elder brother Charles, incorporating part of an older house on the ground floor; early C20 additions for Sir Charles Tennant including, c1905 the south projecting Drawing Room, c1908 the east projecting Ballroom. 1970s office extension not of special interest. Red brick. Tiled roofs with crowstepped gables, eaves bands of diagonally set bricks, dormers and tall brick chimney stacks having enriched brick cornices and bands. 2 storeys, attics and cellar. Long entrance front with irregular fenestration. Entrance in timber-framed, pitched roof porch with bargeboards, small-pane glazing and wrought iron patterned gates. To the right a 3-light oriel window on stepped brick corbels. Then a gable end with full-height chimney breast and stack and further bays of 2 and 3-light windows under pointed strainer arches. Garden front in similar style with projecting bay windows to the drawing room and ballroom. Interior: small vestibule with carved stone C18 style fireplace. Stair with rectangular plan newel posts, carved with shell and fruit drops, twisted balusters and enriched closed string. The French C18 style Drawing Room is richly and delicately gilded on all the oak surfaces; panelled dado, chimneypiece with round-arched mirror, cornice and door and window frames. Marble fireplace with gilt acanthus leaves and other enrichment. Two sets of double-leaf doors are also gilded, including the initial "M" for Marguerite and have overdoor panels depicting putti painted in grisaille; above this armorial devices flanked by putti. This work was carried out by Italian journeymen. The Ballroom has an elliptically vaulted ceiling with enriched ribs and pendants, panelling to full height and a full-height stone chimneypiece armorial devices. Other rooms have fireplaces, panelling, built-in display cupboards and enriched cornices. History: in 1898 the house was sold to Sir Charles Tennant, wealthy industrialist and patron of the arts who, aged 75, had just married his 2nd wife Marguerite who was to bear him 4 children. The main Tennant property was in Scotland but this house appears to be an out of London house for entertaining, Surrey becoming very popular at the time. The brewery owning Charrington family owned Broadoaks from 1911 to 1946 when it was sold to the Ministry of Supply. In 1948 it housed the Army Operational Research Group and was in military occupation until 1996.

Listing NGR: TQ0480560848