Broom Hall

Built of brick and rendered externally, with hipped slate roofs and wide eaves. A main 3-storey, approximately square, residential block measuring 18.68m x 15.44m raised on a paved platform, with a service block of the same width and 6.8m deep, necked off at the back, to which a garden room has been added on the SW. The main front, facing SE, is of 5 window bays, with a central entrance under the surrounding verandah of 7 bays; this has a lean-to fish-scale slated roof supported on cast iron Tuscan columns which returns along the sides of the block at both ends. The doors are a pair, partly glazed, with a decorative lead fanlight over, all set within a moulded architrave. 16-paned sash windows, the boxes concealed, and the glazing set in an iron frame with very slender glazing bars, of later date. Similar sash windows on the first floor, the centre one having a segmental pediment on brackets, also a later modification. The second floor has 12-paned single sashes. Boxed eaves. Five polished slate steps rise centrally on to the verandah terrace, which is also slated. On the SW elevation the front range of rooms has a blind window on each floor, and two bays light the rear rooms on each floor, the verandah returning to the wall of the garden room, which projects 6m from the face of the building. A pair of glazed doors face the rose garden. The NE elevation is similar, the verandah abutting a wall concealing the external cellar stair. In the fourth bay from the front, a side entrance consisting of a panelled door and side lights with a wide decorative fanlight over. This is reflected in the verandah by a pediment over an arch. The rear service range is of 2 storeys with a hipped roof, various windows, mostly tripartite 12-pane sashes on the ground floor and a fine cupola with ogee lead roof. Central stack. It has a later extension to the SE up to the kitchen garden wall, and also with a hipped roof.

The plan of the house is typical of its period, having an axial main entrance hall leading through an arch to the central rectangular stair hall, lit from a large window on the half landing of the stair. On either side, reception rooms with stacks on the internal walls, the rear room on the SW side probably being the dining room with an arched recess and cornice with a swag frieze. A former opening from this room, now filled with a window, is defined by external pilasters, and leads to steps to the garden. Six-panelled doors from the hall lead to the large front reception rooms, probably drawing room and library, which have moulded chair rails, moulded plaster cornices and moulded decorative friezes, varying in detail in each room. The fine marble fireplaces mentioned by RCAHM have been stolen.