Hilles House And Terraced Gardens

Hilles House and Terraced Gardens

A large country house built between 1914 and 1939 by architect Detmar Blow as his own residence. The house is constructed of coursed and squared rubble limestone with ashlar dressings, ashlar chimneys with moulded caps, and a stone slate roof, which replaced the original thatch after a fire in 1940.

The building comprises a single long range projecting from the hillside, rising two storeys with an attic storey, and includes attached outbuildings at the east end. The design combines Jacobean, classical, and traditional vernacular sources in an unconventional stylistic mixture.

The south front is almost symmetrical but incomplete at its east end. It features three parapet gables: the centre and left gables have gable chimneys, while the right gable carries a stone cross. Between these gables stand boldly projecting octagonal two-storey bay windows with parapet roofs. At the centre is a projecting single-storey porch with curved pediment, containing a round-arched doorway with imposts and keystone set within a panelled and moulded front, flanked by a pair of small-paned glazed round-arched doors. The fenestration throughout consists entirely of mullioned small-paned metal casements with four-centred arched heads. The upper floors of the gables have pairs of two-light casements under separate flat hoodmoulds, with the outer gables featuring oval attic windows and the central gable a single arched casement. Two three-light windows under continuous hood moulding occupy the ground floor at each end of the elevation. Four gabled roof dormers punctuate the roofline. A large circular-arched carriage doorway with imposts and keystone appears in a single-storey continuation of the south front towards the east. A pair of niches with shell hoods marks the end of a high-level terrace.

The west end displays a parapet gable with ridge chimney and a large central octagonal bay window to the ground floor, standing on a tall base created by the falling slope. Above are three two-light casements with separate moulded hoods and two attic ovals. A very high buttressed terrace retaining wall projects at an angle from the south-west corner, with two buttresses hollowed out to form lookouts. Drainage openings in the face of the retaining wall resemble cannon-ports.

The north side is asymmetrical, dominated by a large central projecting gabled staircase wing. To the left, in the angle formed by this wing, sits a rectangular bay window with angled corners rising to form a low three-storey tower. Continuous mullioned windows light the lower storeys, with a five-light mullioned window serving the tower room. A full gable projects to the right of the staircase wing. Most fenestration features four-centred arched heads except in the tower.

Following restoration after the 1940 fire, the interior demonstrates Blow's eclectic approach. Classically inspired stone fireplaces, a panelled timber screen with detached Doric columns, plain board and flagstone floors, and plain boarded ceilings illustrate his combination of stylistic sources. The restless composition employs sixteenth-century motifs throughout.

The house is oriented to achieve maximum dramatic effect. Its siting delivers distant views across the Vale of Gloucester and creates considerable landscape impact when viewed from the vale. A terrace occupies the west angle of the staircase wing, with a retaining wall extending north to a large terraced lawn. A gateway breaks the wall adjacent to the house.