Paxton House

Paxton House

Paxton House is a Palladian mansion built between 1757 and 1763, probably by John and James Adam, with interior work by Robert Adam around 1773. The north-east wing, containing the picture gallery and library, was added by Robert Reid between 1811 and 1814. The building has undergone later additions and alterations.

The principal block is a symmetrical, 2-storey structure with basement, spanning 7 bays and recessed at the centre. It features a grand, giant order pedimented portico to the front and a matching pedimented projection at the rear. Concave screen walls link 2-storey, U-plan service wings that enclose a courtyard to the front. Additional outbuildings to the outer left and right enclose further service courtyards. A later 2-storey, 11-bay block extends to the north-east.

The principal block is constructed of pink sandstone ashlar to the front, with coursed, droved pink sandstone to the sides and rear and sandstone ashlar dressings throughout. A stepped base supports the structure, with a full entablature beneath the eaves featuring alternate triglyphs and metopes. Overhanging corniced eaves with decorative mutules and carved panels run throughout. Corniced, architraved margins frame the ground floor (shouldered and pedimented at the centre), whilst architraved margins at first floor (shouldered at centre) feature projecting cills.

The north-east wing is built of coursed, droved pink sandstone to its principal elevations and tooled rubble sandstone at the rear, with sandstone ashlar dressings. It has a stepped base, cill course at ground level, corniced eaves, and a plain parapet.

The kitchen and stable wings are constructed of broached and coursed pink sandstone to their principal elevations, with coursed, droved sandstone rubble to the south-east and rear. These wings feature base courses, corniced eaves, and plain margins (architraved to the north-west), with projecting cills. The outbuildings are predominantly of tooled sandstone rubble with coursed sandstone to north-west elevations and sandstone ashlar dressings, with base courses, corniced eaves in part, plain margins (architraved to the north-west), and projecting cills.

The north-west (entrance) elevation of the principal block comprises 3 bays recessed at the centre with a stair accessing the ground floor. A projecting portico with giant order columns and surmounting pediment dominates this face. A corniced doorpiece is centred at ground level within the portico, featuring a timber panelled door and 8-pane fanlight, flanked by pedimented windows. Squat windows are aligned above. Squat basement windows occupy the ground floor in the remaining bays to right and left, with single windows at ground and squat windows aligned at first floor. Flanking single-storey, 3-bay concave screen passage walls feature timber doors in round-arched central openings, flanking single windows, and surmounting balustraded parapets with squat, ball-finialled piers.

A 2-storey, 4-bay kitchen wing with pedimented entrance adjoins to the right, with a 5-bay inner elevation projecting to the right. Courtyard walls and ball-finialled gatepiers link a regularly fenestrated, 2-storey, 2-bay pedimented outbuilding known as 'The Apple House' to the right, with a single-storey, 3-bay addition recessed to the outer right. A similar 2-storey, 4-bay stable wing with pedimented entrance adjoins to the left, with a 5-bay inner elevation projecting to the left, courtyard walls and ball-finialled gatepiers linking a regularly fenestrated, 2-storey, 2-bay pedimented outbuilding to the outer left.

The north-east (side) elevation shows a regularly fenestrated 4-bay principal block recessed to the left, with a projecting 2-storey, 2-bay wing (picture gallery and library) offset to the right of centre. This wing has a 2-leaf timber door at ground offset to the right and a single window to the left, with painted imitation windows aligned above. A single-storey outbuilding projects to the right with a single window offset to the left of centre, with service courtyard and stable wing set behind.

The south-east (rear) elevation of the principal block comprises 7 bays with a 3-bay pedimented projection at the centre. This central projection features squat basement windows and pedimented windows at ground (the central one with a segmental arch), single windows at first floor, and a bullseye window centred in the surmounting pediment. Squat basement windows occupy the remaining bays to left and right, with corniced windows at ground and single windows at first floor. A curved screen wall recesses to the left with a square-headed doorway centred in a lean-to projection at ground level.

A regularly fenestrated, 2-storey, 4-bay kitchen wing adjoins to the left, with a blind elevation to a single-storey, mono-pitched range enclosing the courtyard to the left and a lean-to projection to the right. A 2-storey, 2-bay pedimented outbuilding ('The Apple House') sits to the outer left. To the right of the principal block, a 2-storey, 11-bay range (picture gallery and library) recesses, with a 2-bay block to the outer left and a symmetrical range to the right grouped 2-1-3-1-2. This comprises a tall, 5-bay projection at the centre with single windows at basement and ground in the 3 central bays; slightly advanced flanking bays feature single windows at basement and blank, round-arched niches above, with a full-width blank parapet; single windows occupy the lower, 2-bay wings recessed to left and right.

The south-west (side) elevation shows a 4-bay principal block recessed to the right with basement windows to the outer right and offset to the left of centre. A lean-to porch is offset to the right, with regular fenestration at ground and first floor. A curved screen wall adjoins the outer left, linking a service range projecting to the outer left. This comprises a 2-storey, 6-bay outbuilding ('The Apple House') to the front with a single-storey, 2-bay piended addition at the centre; service courtyard and kitchen wing are set behind.

Windows throughout feature 6-, 8-, and 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, with painted imitation glazing in part and rooflights. The principal block has a platformed grey slate piended roof, whilst the remaining blocks have grey slate pitched and piended roofs. Corniced sandstone stacks with circular cans complete the exterior.

The interior contains outstanding classical decorative schemes. The main stair is located off a near square-plan entrance hall dating from circa 1760, which features flat plasterwork panels centred in each wall within lugged frames with egg-and-dart carving and flanking panelled doors. The chimney-breast displays decorative rococo plasterwork by George Morrison, with an original brass hexagonal light fitting above the fireplace.

The drawing room features a decorative plasterwork ceiling probably by Robert and James Adam, circa 1773. Shallow wall panels divided by slender panels display colour-printed French wallpaper from circa 1795. A plain chimney-breast contains the fireplace, with giltwood mirrors above half-moon tables by Thomas Chippendale. Panelled doors and curtain pelmets with gilt work probably by Wright & Mansfield date from circa 1880.

The dining room contains a decorative plasterwork ceiling and walls probably by Robert and James Adam, circa 1773, featuring shallow, slender wall panels with decorative oak leaves and acorns. The chimney-breast is ornamented with decorative plasterwork, and the room contains various pieces of Chippendale furniture.

The morning room features dado panelling and a marble fireplace. A spiral service stair connects all floors with stone treads, plain uprights, and a timber handrail.

Bedrooms feature decorative cornices, plain ceilings, panelled doors, and Chippendale furniture including a 4-poster bed decorated with roses and other flowers. A bathroom has clay floor tiles and a high domed ceiling. The principal bedroom, which was formerly the library, has a decorative cornice, plain ceiling, fireplace, and a Chippendale four-poster bed.

A secondary main stair off the hall connects the public rooms and bedrooms, with decorative plasterwork wall panels by George Morrison. It is a dog-leg stair with timber treads and a decorative wrought-iron banister rail featuring an open network of curvilinear steel bars with ball finials at intersections, plus a timber handrail.

The library, designed by Robert Reid circa 1811, features apsed ends, a fireplace, timber bookcases, and plain cornices.

The large picture gallery, also designed by Robert Reid circa 1811 and further decorated by Bonnar & Carfrae in 1872, contains classical screens dividing apsed ends with marbled columns and pilasters. A central shallow-domed, compartmental ceiling presides over the space, along with a marble fireplace, low decorative dado, panelled doors, and furniture by William Trotter.