Berkley House

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ST84NW 8/115

BERKLEY CP BERKLEY STREET (east side) Berkley House

11.3.68

GV II*

Country house, mid C18. Probably designed and built by Nathaniel Ireson of Wincanton. Ashlar Doulting stone with hipped slate roofs. Basement, two storeys and attic. Symmetrical facade of seven windows arranged 2:3:2. Over central section a dentilled pediment on Ionic pilasters. Venetian window in tympanum. Central stone doorcase with pediment and entablature on two engaged Tuscan columns, rusticated door opening, fanlight and panelled door. Keyed, semi-circular headed window on each side. To side sections cornices and plain parapets, sash windows with glazing bars and internal shutters in moulded keyed architraves. Rusticated end pilasters and basement storey. Flight of five steps to door, with urns set at the angles. Five window return elevations, first floor windows have iron balconette. To the rear, a three-storey domestic range, probably C17. Rubble Doulting stone, slate roofs. Wooden casement windows in plain keyed architraves, heavy lead rain water goods-gutters with scalloped edge decoration, pipes - cast square box section with ribbing matching those to main building.

Interior not seen but said to contain a fine Hall and beyond a balustraded staircase arranged around a square, open well and containing interesting paintings, including a portrait originally believed to be of John Wood of Bath but now thought to be of Thomas Prowse, carved rococo decoration to frames of c 1750. The House belonged to the Prowse family in the C18 and was occupied for a time by Thomas Prowse who was elected five times MP for Somerset and declined the Speakership in 1761. Thomas Prowse designed Hatch Court near Taunton (qv).

(RIBA Journal, XLVI, p 536, 1939).

Listing NGR: ST8113149380