Daylesford House

Daylesford House is a country house built between 1787 and 1793 by S.P. Cockerell for Warren Hastings, with significant additions from the 19th century. The house is constructed of ashlar and coursed, squared and dressed limestone with slate and leaded roofing and ashlar stacks. It exemplifies Neoclassical style with French detailing.

The building has an 'H'-shaped main body. A flat-roofed extension with projecting porch and portico was added in the late 19th century between projecting wings on the east front. A curving 19th-century stable block extends westward from the north wall. A classical style stable block is attached to the north elevation.

The symmetrical eastern front comprises a 3-storey central block with cellar underneath, flanked by single 2-storey bays and 2-storey wings projecting forward to either side. The fenestration follows a 1:1:7:1:1 pattern. The central block displays 12-pane sashes to the first floor and 9-pane sashes to the second floor. Single bulls-eye windows with festooned surrounds and aprons light the projecting bays, with segmental pediments over single sash windows below. Large single round-headed windows with glazing bars flank a projecting open-sided central porch with portico supported by paired Doric columns. Round-headed windows with marginal glazing bars light the side walls of the porch. A glazed door in a moulded surround with triangular pediment supported by console brackets stands within the left wing, above which is a blocked window. Ashlar pilasters rise at the corners of the main body to a string, which continues as a band across the facade between the first and second floor windows. Stone balustrades run along the 2-storey wings and the 19th-century entrance extension.

The symmetrical south front has 2 storeys and a basement with chamfered rustication to the basement floor. The central block is flanked by canted 3-storey bays supported by Doric columns. A central part-glazed panelled door opens onto a balcony with an architrave swept out at the bottom and a triangular pediment supported on console brackets. Floating cornices supported on corbels sit above 12-pane sashes within moulded architraves on either side of the door. Wrought iron balconies ornament the upper storey. The canted bays are lit by 12 and 6-pane sashes with and without moulded architraves and floating cornices.

The symmetrical west front follows a 1:3:3:3:1 fenestration pattern and features a central 3-storey semi-circular projection. The 3-storey main body steps down to 2 storeys for one bay at far right and left, with single bay wings projecting forward on either side. Ground and first floor windows to the wings display 6 and 12-pane sashes with a string continued across the facade of the main body. Stone balustrade runs above the string where it circles the semi-circular projection. A frieze below is decorated with festoons and supported on Ionic columns flanking 2-light French windows. Three bulls-eye windows with festooned surrounds light the ceiling of a dome; similar windows light 2-storey bays to the right and left of the main body. Stone balustrate runs along the projecting wings. A dome-shaped roof with large pointed finial tops the semi-circular bay.

The classical style stable block attached to the north is 2 storeys with a triangular pediment over the central portion. A central circular relieving arch below features a part-glazed double door with triple keystone, flanked by casements with triple keystones. The first floor has 6-pane sashes. A band between ground and first floors is interrupted by triple keystones over formerly single-width openings, now double-width garage openings. A clock lantern with domed roof and weather vane rises from the ridge behind the pediment.

Interior features include a late 19th-century open string stair. Original cornices, 6-panel doors and surrounds survive. Original marble fireplaces include white and grey marble examples with sculptured overmantels, notably one depicting Father Thomas in the library, created by John Bacon in 1793. A white marble fireplace by Thomas Banks features a frieze depicting Hindu sacrifice, with single carved figures of Indian women on uprights either side and a mirror within an ornate surround with carved festoons overhead. The dining room formerly contained a white marble fireplace, possibly by Thomas Banks, with two carved elephants on the frieze, now relocated to an upstairs room. The main reception room is enriched with richly decorated fluted Corinthian columns. A circular boudoir beneath the dome has an arcade of narrow reeded and bound columns with lotus capitals around the walls. A small painted ceiling depicts a starry sky and is lit naturally from bulls-eye windows concealed from the room by a false ceiling.