Richmond House

Former house, built in around 1701-1703.

MATERIALS: built of brick that has been rendered, with some limestone dressings, and brick copings to the chimney stacks. The roof is covered in pantiles; the roofs of the single-storey addition to the west elevation and the two-storey addition to the rear (north) elevation have slate tiles. The windows comprise three early-C18 cross windows to the north elevation with ovolo moulded timber frames and some leaded lights, and C18 sash windows, some of which have been repaired and renewed in the C20.

PLAN: originally a single-depth plan with a principal room to either side of the central entrance hall, with the staircase to the rear. A single-storey addition has been added to the west elevation, and there is an C18 two-storey service wing added to the rear. There has been some reconfiguration of the plan form with the insertion of partition walls and doorways, particularly to the upper floors. The north-east corner of the building has been stripped out and a metal fire-escape staircase (not of special interest) inserted.

EXTERIOR: the principal (south) elevation is of three storeys with gable end stacks and a moulded cornice to the raised parapet. Its symmetrical five-bay façade is arranged as 2:1:2 with sash windows and a central recessed doorway with a timber architrave and a six-panel door; the top square panels are glazed. To the left is a single-storey hipped roof addition.

The north elevation retains part of its hood mould to ground and first-floor level and three early-C18 cross windows. There is a late-C18 addition, extending to the north; its doorway to the right has been blocked.

A C19 French window has been inserted to the right of the gable end stack to the east elevation. Three of the four windows to either side of the stack have been blocked.

INTERIOR: the central entrance hall has an oak open-well staircase with a closed string, square newel posts with square moulded caps and pyramid pendants, barley twist balusters, and a heavily moulded handrail. The principal reception rooms to either side have timber moulded cornices and panelled window shutters. The west room has raised and fielded wall panelling to its south and west wall, with a chair rail between the lower and upper panels. The fireplaces to both rooms are mid-C19; that to the east room retains its grate. There is a small room to the north of the west room with a corner fireplace and moulded stone surround of the late C18. Throughout the interior other features of note include cornices, panelled window shutters with a combination of swivel fasteners, butterfly hinges and H-hinges, C18 and C19 panelled doors and associated door architrave, (although many of the doors are C20 fire doors), moulded skirting boards, some fitted cupboards and C19 fireplaces.