Malling House

TQ 41 SW LEWES CHURCH LANE 3/505 (north side) Malling 25.2.52 Malling House

GV I

Country House, now the headquarters of the Sussex County Constabulary. Mid Cl7 with late C17 addition, refronted circa 1720-26 and extended in C20. Red and grey brick with orange dressings with moulded band and cornice to panelled parapet. Horsham slab roof with three flat-headed dormers and stacks to extreme left and right of centre behind ridge. 2 storeys and attics, with cellars. Regular 9-bay front, glazing bar sashes with gauged heads and dressed surrounds. Central painted rusticated and keyed door- surround with superimposed Tuscan antae supporting open segmental pediment. Eight-panel door. Front dated 1726 on downpipe bracket to right. 2-bay early C20 2-storey extension in similar style set back to right. Lower red brick and tilehung wing further to right with hipped roof. Dated 1958 on downpipe. South front: in similar style. 4 bays with central wider spacing. Outer ground-floor windows with opening doors below to form French windows. All glazing bar sashes. West front: now partly masked on ground floor by 1960's and 1970's extensions of no special interest. Roof pitch steeper to left than to right of centre. Completely irregular fenestration, much altered, of glazing bar sashes, all separated by fictive pilaster strips. At this point on the exterior of the building can be seen both Cl7 building stages. Interior: Hall. Black and white slab floor. Panelled dado with arched panels above. Triglyph frieze, carried on Doric columns flanking windows and panels and paired in corners. Moulded door surrounds with segmental pediments and pulvinated friezes. Projecting fireplace off-centre to right on wall opposite door, with bolection-mould fire-surround and garlanded overmantel. Staircase. Two-flight return stair with arched window at half-landing with splayed panelled reveals. Ramped rail with wreathed foot. Fluted Composite columnar newel-posts, reflected in similar pilasters on panelled dado. Close and loose twist spiral balusters flanking colum-on-vase balusters, three per tread, square knops, gadrooned below. Corniced trade-ends and carved wreathed cheek-pieces. Chief Constable's Room and deputy. Early C18 fielded panelling and fireplaces. Landing at head of stair with panelled segmental arch. Back stairs. Square open-well four flight stair. Ramped rail, turned balusters and carved cheek-pieces.

B,o.E., Sussex, 1965, 609.

Listing NGR: TQ4164611125