Kingshill House

Kingshill House is a large country house, dating from 1705 (as indicated by a date plaque within the roof structure), with substantial remodelling in the late 18th century for the Purnell family, and further additions and alterations around 1880 for Edwin Eyre. The house is constructed of ashlar limestone, with marlstone and ashlar limestone dressings, and brick to the rear. It has ashlar chimneys and a Welsh slate roof. The main front block is two storeys with an attic and cellar, and is linked to a two-storey wing at the rear, forming an L-plan, with a two-storey service wing in the angle.

The front facade is asymmetrical, with a central pedimented projection. The window arrangement is 2:1:3:2. The ground floor features chamfered rustication with a plain band above, linking with a keystone to each window. Upper floor windows are plain, except for two on the left which have moulded architraves. All ground and upper floor windows are C19 four-pane sashes, with four six-pane attic sashes. Outer attic window positions are blocked. Chamfered quoins are present, and there's a mutule enriched cornice with slanted mutules in the pediment, topped by a plain parapet with enriched urns. A C19 single-storey flat-roofed porch with Doric pilasters, an entablature, rusticated masonry, moulded and keyed architraves over a round-arched door with a fanlight, a six-panel door, and small round-arched side windows is attached.

The north-west side features a two-storey canted bay window with moulded architraves to the four-pane sashes in each face, except for the central ground floor opening which has glazed doors. Two sash windows with moulded architraves are present to the left. The cornice and plain parapet continue across the facade as on the front. A two-storey C19 addition to the left projects forward, with a hipped roof and a central pediment, all rendered in stucco with ashlar dressings. The south-east side has a roughcast blank wall with a small single-storey addition. The rear walls of the C19 addition are brick. The marlstone service wing has limestone dressings to the sash fenestration.

Internally, there are numerous features dating from the late 18th century and around 1880. The entrance hall has Ionic columns lining the approach to the staircase hall, and includes a C20 wooden classical fireplace. A room to the right has a late C19 Mannerist fireplace, and late C18 doorcases with fluted architraves and enriched entablatures. The hall has an open-well staircase with barleysugar balusters, and arcading to the sides of the upper hall incorporating shell-hooded niches. Many dividing partitions have been inserted into the principal rooms, but original doorcases, fireplaces, and cornices remain. The house formerly stood within landscaped grounds, now occupied by 1930s housing.