The Villa

The Villa, Studland

A house built in two principal phases between 1854 and 1857, with a further extension in 1888 and alterations made in 1912. The building is executed in Gothic style.

The house is constructed of buff and red brick, partly rendered, with stone dressings. The main windows are stone mullioned and transomed, with drip-moulds to the flat-headed first floor windows. Timber sash windows with glazing bars are found on the rear, north west and north east elevations. The original part of the house has a pitched tile roof, while the later rear service range is covered in slate.

The plan is compact but asymmetrical, with principal rooms arranged towards the front and a three-bay service block to the rear. A further attached service range built in 1888, together with an attached outbuilding, extend at right angles to the main structure and front onto a walled courtyard.

The south principal façade comprises three bays. Two slightly projecting outer bays are gabled at full height with mullioned and transomed canted bay windows at ground floor and similar three-light windows at first floor. Carved stone panels are set within the apex of each gable, and decorative bargeboards finish the gables. The central bay features a first floor oriel window with its own gabled roof above. The south east elevation, which forms the entrance front, is characteristically asymmetrical with a slightly projecting stack to the left and a gable to the right. A single storey projecting porch with a four-centred arched doorway stands in front of the gable. Above the entrance is a shield carved with an angel, while at first floor a three-light round-headed window is located in the gable. The wall steps back to the north, with the original three-bay service block occupying the left hand side and a further bay belonging to the later nineteenth century service range beyond. The rear elevations of the service block are plainer, facing onto the courtyard, with openings featuring gauged brick lintels to the original part and camber-headed brick lintels to the later range. The west elevation consists of three bays to the later service range with camber-headed sash windows to both floors, followed by four bays to the original house. Although similar in style to the mullioned and transomed windows of the front elevation, the windows in these bays may be later replacements, characterised by heavier stonework than elsewhere and lacking drip moulds.

Interior features are well preserved throughout all floors and carry a Gothic theme across much of the property. The front door opens into a flagged vestibule leading to the main hall. An open well staircase rises from the hall with carved newel posts, decorative string brackets and a carved handrail. Above the stairs is a groin-vaulted segmental ceiling with central bosses of acanthus leaves, supported on brackets that in turn rest upon cherub heads. The main hall has been enlarged by removal of the partition wall to the principal room at the south east corner. This room contains a Gothic marble fireplace with rich mouldings and polygonal jambs flanking a four-centred arch. Other principal rooms on the south side lead from a corridor extending the width of the house and retain Gothic fireplaces with either cusped heads or quatrefoil friezes, panelled doors, richly moulded architraves, skirting boards and cornices. The kitchen preserves a cast iron range and fixed dresser shelves, beyond which lie the back stairs, former scullery, larder, pantry and wine store. The first floor plan mirrors that below, retaining nineteenth century door furniture, cornices and fireplaces, including a later nineteenth century Art Nouveau fire surround. The rear courtyard is bounded on its east side by a brick wall with a central gateway appearing to date from the late nineteenth century.

The Villa was constructed as a vicarage by Major William Petrie Waugh, who had purchased Brownsea Island in 1852 and was responsible for building the Church of St Mary on the island in 1853 to 1854. Although intended for use as a vicarage, the house was never occupied for this purpose. When Waugh's hopes of working quality china clay on the island proved unsuccessful, he offered the property for auction in 1857. After a delay, it was purchased in the 1870s by George Cavendish-Bentinck, an MP. Shortly afterwards, in 1881, the villa was extended with a new service range and became the family residence of the island owners' son. Further alterations were carried out in 1912 for Noel Van Raalte, the son of the owners at that time, and his wife.