Walnut Villa And Gatepiers

Walnut Villa is a detached house dating from the early 18th century. It has a roughcast exterior with flush quoins and a hipped roof made of Cotswold stone slate, along with brick stacks at the ends. The building is L-shaped and features later small rear extensions, standing two storeys tall. The front has three widely spaced 8-pane sash windows with moulded wood architraves. On the ground floor, there are twin 8-pane sashes on either side of a central doorcase, which has a flat hood supported by plain brackets, a 2-pane transom light above, and a door with four long fielded panels. This door is accessed by three worn semi-circular stone steps.

Inside, the hall boasts a fine open well staircase with turned balusters and a wreathed and ramped handrail. To the right of the hall, a ground floor room features a shell niche in a cupboard next to the fireplace, adorned with original scagliola and figured paintwork, which is reputed to be the only surviving example of a pair. The gatepiers are made of dressed stone, with panelled bases and moulded stone cornices, topped with what appear to be medieval carved flat circular finials, which are said to have originated from the Abbey Gate-house.