Pool Park

Pool Park is a large country house in the Neo-Elizabethan style, built between 1826 and 1829 by William, Second Lord Bagot. It comprises two storeys plus attics, with slate roofs and golden sandstone used for chimneys, porch, and ground floor dressings.

The main front is symmetrical with a shallow E-plan. It features a moulded eaves course and string course between the first and ground floors. Three large gables have pierced quatrefoil decoration to the bargeboards. The central block contains four groups of stone chimneys, each with five diagonally-set stacks, and is flanked by gabled dormers. The large central gable has a small attic oriel and a surmounting weathervane.

The centrepiece is a porch in late 16th-century style with a pinnacled, shaped gable and a central heraldic shield at the gable apex. The porch has a round-headed doorway flanked by fluted columns on decorated plinths and a shallow entablature above with three heraldic shields and lozenges between them. A 3-light mullioned and transomed oriel window sits at first floor level, with narrow transomed windows to the returns on each floor. The ground-floor return windows to the porch contain stained glass panels to the upper lights depicting the Salesbury arms. Mullioned and transomed windows flank the porch on each floor. To each side of the central bay is a recessed bay of two mullioned and transomed windows. Each outer advanced gabled bay has a 3-light small-pane casement window to the attic floor and a 3-light mullioned and transomed window to each of the first and ground floors, the latter being slightly taller. A low stone screen between the projecting gables has alternating panels of strapwork and fretwork.

The right return, facing the former main drive, has two chimneys across its ridge with diagonally-set stacks and seven windows. A central advanced gabled bay with pierced quatrefoil bargeboards and small-pane casement window is flanked by flat-roofed dormers. The first floor of the gabled bay has an oriel; the ground floor has a 3-light mullioned and transomed window with the central light serving as a doorway and stone steps below. To each side of the centre are three bays with a central oriel window at first floor flanked by a 2-light mullioned and transomed window; the ground floor has three 2-light mullioned and transomed windows.

The left return of the main front, facing the former service entrance, has plainer treatment with a three-window gabled bay and service blocks partially obscured by a flat-roofed extension and fire escapes. The fire escapes link to a one-and-a-half storey block in brick with a slate roof and finials to gable ends. This block has two large gabled dormers with finials and 3-light windows with diamond panes to the outer lights, and two 2-light mullioned and transomed windows to the ground floor. The front face carries a sandstone dedication plaque inscribed: "This stone was laid by the Rt. Hon. William, Lord Bagot on the 4th day of July 1827".

The interior contains a square entrance hall with full-height wooden panelling in Jacobethan style. An inscription behind the front wall reads: "William Second Lord Bagot Built This House. Begun AD 1826. Finished AD 1829". A fireplace is set to the left, opposite which is a round arched doorway with cherub heads to the spandrels and double-leaf panelled doors.

The staircase bay features a central segmental arch flanked by round arches with enriched wooden pillars and panelled walls. The grand wooden staircase, perhaps remodelled in the early 20th century, has a pair of three-quarter angels as newels and paired vase balusters. The lower flight has panels depicting cherubs in combat with sea-monsters; the upper flights have Biblical scenes alternating with strapwork panels, and the landing balusters are enriched with allegorical figures. A half-landing contains a large three-light window.

The ground floor has a transverse corridor with oak panelling approximately 1.6 metres high. Rooms to the left on the front have largely lost their detailing owing to conversion to hospital use. Other rooms include, to the right of front, the former library with recessed bookshelves and strapwork fireplace, and two sitting rooms with wooden fireplaces. To the rear is a former theatre room with a small recessed stage that connects with a dressing room.

The first floor has a full-width transverse corridor with wooden panelling, now painted, approximately 2 metres high, with tapering pilasters alternating with panels. The second floor also has a transverse corridor with oak panelling.