Parrock'S Lodge

TATWORTH AND FORTON CP TATWORTH ST3205

12/109 Parrock's Lodge (formerly listed in the Civil Parish of Chard) 4.2.58

GV II

Country house, now flats. Circa 1801, c.1960 north wing demolished apart from facade, and attic storey with pediment taken down. Ashlar fronted with rusticated basement, red brick rear elevation with ashlar dressing, hipped slate roofs behind parapet, paired brick stacks rising on returns. Originally 'U'-plan, facing roughly east and set into hillside at rear, south wing service, north wing demolished apart from facade. Main block 2 storeys over basement, wings single storey over unlit basement, 1:1:3:1:1 bays, main block centre 3 bays break forward, parapet with 3 Coade stone-type panels centre, swags flanking a lamb, baluster panels to outer bays, Coade panels in wings depicting Ceres and Pomona, flat string bands, 12-pane sash windows with moulded lintels carried on console brackets to outer bays, central fluted Doric porch, paired columns carrying plain entablature, approached by flight of 2 steps, semi-circular-headed double doorway with keystone, square-headed 4-panel door, inner half-glazed door, shallow paired brackets to reeded architraves supporting guilloche moulded lintel, fanlight with decorative leading. Right return: 2 basement garages with asbestos corrugated sheeting behind facade wall. Left return : 2 storeys because of sloping site, attractive early C19 boxed porch. Interior: groin vaulted entrance hall with Greek key pattern plasterwork, divided by C20 glass partition. Cantilevered circular stone stair with wrought iron balustrade. Rooms flanking entrance hall with acanthus leaf moulded cornices and simple coeval marble chimneypieces, southern room with cl860 ornate cast-iron grate with decorative cast-iron apron to hearth, an unusual survival. The demolished 4-bay north wing contained the library with a conservatory on the garden front. The floor tiles of the conservatory remain in situ, (Photographs in NWR).

Listing NGR: ST3253105919