Little Court

Little Court is a detached house built in 1909 and extended circa 1925-29. It was designed by P.R. Morley Horder for Katherine Thruston and later purchased by Gilbert Tonge of Kearley and Tonge. The house is constructed of brick walls in stretcher bond, mainly roughcast, with ashlar stone dressings. It has a plain clay tile roof with gabling to the south west, east and west fronts over dormers, and includes brick stacks with moulded cornices on the south and east ranges. The original house was designed with an L-plan, incorporating family quarters in the south range and service areas in the east range. A north range was added circa 1925 to create a U-plan with a courtyard. The original house is two-and-a-half storeys, exhibiting irregular fenestration. The north side of the south range, which serves as the entrance front, features a four-light mullion window, a three-light mullion window above, a two-storey gabled porch with a round-headed doorway and a studded three-light mullion window, a projecting stack embrasure with brick and stone quoins, and a gable end displaying the date, featuring a square bay with five-light mullions to both ground and first floors. The east range, facing the courtyard, includes a recessed porchway to a plank door (for service staff), and several two- and three-light casement windows, some set under gabled sections. All windows have metal casements with rectangular leaded lights. A roughcast water tower is located in the north-east end of the service range, tile hung to the upper storey, with a hipped clay tile roof and a brick stack. The south elevation of the north range, which accommodates a games room and garages to the rear, features three-light casements and a two-light casement in a south-facing gable. A single-storey gabled porch with a round-headed entrance and plank door, is also present, along with a two-light casement. Wood casements with leaded lights are also seen above. Two hipped dormers with three-light metal casements are also present. The interior of the service areas in the east range includes a former wash-room, kitchen, a staff room added to the rear (east), and a butler's pantry. The dining room is located in the south-east corner and features a green glazed tiling surround to the fireplace. The hall has double connecting doors leading to the drawing room, and the principal bedrooms are situated above.