Trafalgar House

Trafalgar House is a country house built in 1733 by John James for Peter Vandeput. Wings and pavilions were added in 1766 by John Wood the Younger for Henry Dawkins, with a second floor added shortly before the portico of 1766 by Nicholas Revett.

The building is constructed in Flemish bond brick with chamfered limestone quoins, the wings in English bond, with Welsh slate hipped roofs and brick stacks with stone cappings.

The plan comprises a central rectangular block with side wings linking two pavilions. The front is symmetrical, with three storeys and seven bays. The central Doric portico by Revett features pairs of columns of the Order of the Temple of Apollo at Delos, a projecting pediment and balustraded parapet. Double half-glazed doors in a Gibbs surround are flanked by three 12-pane sashes on either side. The first floor has seven sashes, all windows featuring Gibbs surrounds. A modillioned cornice marks the second floor, which has seven 6-pane sashes in moulded architraves. A moulded cornice runs to the blocking course. The returns have rainwater heads dated 1733.

The five-bay right return has blind windows to left and right, with sashes in the centre bays matching the front. The left return has three bays with sashes matching the front and a fine Venetian window lighting the stairs at the centre bay of the first floor.

The rear of the main block has three storeys and a basement with seven windows matching the front. The centre three bays break forward with a modillioned pediment and central glazed doors with a segmental pediment on Tuscan columns. The basement has 2-light casements.

The linking wings are single-storey with basements and five 12-pane sashes. The pavilions have two storeys and basements, with 3:3:3 bays to their fronts at right angles to the main block. The centre bays break forward with hipped roofs. They have 12-pane sashes with flat-arched heads, French windows to the 3-bay returns, and Venetian windows with grooved surrounds and paterae to the centre bays of the outward-facing fronts. Basements have 2-light leaded casements. The hipped roofs have moulded cornices and blocking courses.

Interior

The fittings of the main block date mostly from 1733. The open well staircase on the south side has three turned balusters to a tread and carved spandrels. The entrance hall is very fine, with a coved plaster ceiling decorated in rococo style, walls with Corinthian pilasters, floral swags and chinoiserie panels, open pedimented doors and fireplace, and a modillioned ceiling cornice. The saloon is in similar style. A room to the left of the hall has fine painted decoration of around 1766 by J. B. Cipriani, depicting allegorical scenes. Other internal decoration by Revett, including a fine ceiling, is in the north pavilion. The house contains rococo and classical fireplaces and double doors with fielded panels and central beading. The north pavilion was refitted in the early 19th century, and the south pavilion was entirely refitted following a fire in 1866.

History

The estate was purchased by the Treasury following the death of Henry Dawkins in 1814 and given to the heirs of Admiral Viscount Nelson in gratitude for his services. The house was then occupied by his brother, the 1st Earl Nelson, and its name was changed from Standlynch House to Trafalgar House. The 1733 house was built to replace an earlier house by the river, which was demolished by Vandeput.