Beechfield House

ST 96 NW MELKSHAM WITHOUT BEANACRE (east side)

2/175 Beechfield House

5.6.79

GV II

Large house, now hotel. Circa 1870. For Richard Keevil. Ashlar with rusticated quoins. Welsh slate hipped roof. Italianate square house with 3-windowed service wing to rear. 2- storey symmetrical 3-window front. Central rusticated porch has segmental pediment with carved tympanum. Semi-circular headed door and side windows have carved keystones and pilasters with capitals. Triple light sashes to either side have pediment with carved tympanum, over decorative panel. Windows have semi-circular heads and keystone and are separated by columns with carved capitals. String course. First floor windows similar, but with triple light over porch and 2-light to sides, all having round arched hood moulds with terminals and keystone. Rusticated centre has pediment over; open pediments to either side window. Dentile cornice. Window treatment of left and right returns similar; left return has 4-light canted bay with segmental pediment, and 4 grouped narrow sashes beneath pediment with cornice and finials, over. Right return includes rusticated chimney breast and first floor balcony with balustrade. Plain 3 storey, 3 window service wing to rear. Interior: Entrance hall has round arched openings with keys and imposts, to rooms. Central open-well stair. Moulded cornices and friezes and ribbed patterned ceiling to front right room. Particularly notable is painted glass in windows above porch, comprising 6 oval panels depicting rural scenes, and in door panels and surround of right return entrance and front door, of floral and vine-leaf motifs. House built for a local gentleman farmer, Richard Keevil whose initials are carved in the pediment over the canted bay to left. (Kelly's Directory 1872).

Listing NGR: ST9034265665