Cotham House

Cotham House is a mid-19th century house, remodelled in 1905 for Sir George White, and now used as a nurses' home. It is constructed of limestone ashlar and render, with rendered stacks and a slate and pantile hipped roof. The house has a double-depth plan with a service wing set at an angle to the right. It features a cellar and two storeys, with a ten-window range on the garden front.

The asymmetrical garden front has a banded ashlar ground floor to a dentil cornice, with a rendered first floor, modillion cornice, a parapet, and the remains of a blind balustrade above the front door. The left end breaks forward with a three-light bow. An open central porch has paired three-quarter Ionic columns, leading to an overlight and a two-leaf panelled door. Ground-floor windows have fluted keys and a moulded sill band, while first-floor windows have plain plate-glass sashes.

The road front is also asymmetrical, featuring two wide five-light bows with a band of vermiculated stone, and a curved two-storey porch at the left end, in the angle with the service wing. This porch features curved Pennant stone steps and a Tuscan distyle-in-antis entrance to a doorway with an architrave, stained-glass fanlight, and a seven-panel door, flanked by windows. Above the porch, pilasters frame a mullion and transom window with elliptical heads and timber cornices, the top lights being leaded and stained. A vermiculated band and pediment with dentil blocks sits above the bows.

The interior retains a complete and elaborate Edwardian design, including fine plaster ceilings, mahogany joinery, and parquetry floors. The left-hand stair hall has an open-well stair with fluted column-on-vase balusters, a curtail, and a wreathed and ramped rail. The service wing stair has column newels and a ramped rail. There are panelled doors with swagged pediments throughout, and a room to the front right features walnut doors, panelling, and a fireplace. Other features include good fireplaces with overmantels and mirrors, a club fender, stone columns in a principal rear room, marble panels in bathrooms and cloakrooms, and brick vaulted cellars.

A historical note indicates that the house was remodelled by Sir George White, the industrialist, and that it was one of the first houses to be fitted with electrical lighting.