Beechwood House

SX 55 NE SPARKWELL SPARKWELL 10/141 Beechwood House

II

Country house in small landscaped park. Reputedly built in 1780, and remodelled circa 1850. Stuccoed stone rubble and with slate roofs. Asymmetrical, although the original plan was probably more regular. Plain parapet with band, band at first floor level and plain plinth. Two storeys. West entrance front, asymmetrical, projecting at centre and right, with central mid C19 solid porch with large corner piers, cornice and balustrade. South front of 5 bays, left hand projects with mid C19 two-storey bay with bracketed cornice over ground floor tripartite sashes. The east side of 2:3:2 bays with large central mid C19 square bay with balustrade and 3-light window above with round arches. The east front extends to right (north) 4 bays with C18/19 sashes in this north wing which has cupola and C19 dormers. Some of the C18/19 sashes survive and some are complete with glazing bars, while the other sashes have been remodelled in laid C19 with moulded architraves and plate glass. Service wings to north. Plain rendered chimneystacks. Interior: arranged around a central hall with contemporary staircase. Some of the original joinery survives. The drawing room to south-west has a most unusual white marble chimneypiece said to have come from a house in Ireland, with 2 caryatids, like African goddesses, supporting a moulded shelf over a frieze carved in relief depicting Europa and the Bull and other animal subjects. Two other ground floor rooms have Walter Crane design wallpaper. Charlotte M Yonge, the novelist, is said to have often visited and to have written much of her work at Beechwood.

Listing NGR: SX5780657486