Coetmor

Coetmor

An asymmetrical two-storey, two-window house in the Domestic Revival style characteristic of John Douglas. The building faces west towards the garden, with its entrance front positioned to the north, where a lower two-storey gabled porch projects against the gable end.

The house is constructed of red brick to the lower storey and pebble-dash to the upper storey, the latter rendered with unusually large fragments of grey stone set in mortar. The roof is covered in red tiles, with fluted red brick stacks positioned at the centre of the front roof pitch and along the ridge to the rear wing. A limestone plinth runs around the base, and plain barge boards finish the gable ends. The upper storey is slightly jettied out on a moulded or dentilled brick string course and features brick quoins at the corners. Windows throughout have moulded brick surrounds and ovolo-moulded mullions, predominantly two- or three-light with ogee heads. These contain iron casements with horizontal glazing bars, some fitted with stained glass and leaded glazing.

The entrance front faces north, set within a porch bay recessed to the left with a doorway opening west. A ribbed wooden door with strap hinges sits within a bullnose brick surround with a segmental head, covered by a hoodmould. The porch's north elevation displays a three-light mullioned window to the ground floor with stained glass, a cellar light below, and a two-light window above. The main gable end of the house contains a three-light mullioned window to the first floor and a very small two-light casement in the gable apex.

The west front features a large canted bay window to the left with a domed roof; the central section forms a catslide dropping from the main roof pitch. This bay contains a transomed four-light window with stained glass to the upper lights. To the right sits a three-light transomed window. Above this, aligned to the upper storey, is a gabled half-dormer with a three-light window beneath a flat moulded head, all contained within a raised triangular pediment bearing decorative plasterwork. A diamond tablet in this pediment carries the date "1886" with relief rosettes. A small skylight breaks the roof pitch nearby.

The rear of the house has a single light to the ground floor and a very small raked attic dormer. A rear wing extends to the left, displaying a three-light window on its north side at ground level; its east gable end has a three-light window above a hipped-roofed lean-to. A catslide lean-to is set against the far left of the main range. The south gable end of the house features a two-light window to the attic and offset single lights below—two to the first floor and one to the ground floor. The side of the catslide lean-to carries a two-light window.

Internally, the entrance opens into a full-length stair-hall with reception rooms to the right and service rooms to the left. A dog-leg staircase occupies the left side of the stair-hall, constructed of pine (probably originally painted), with turned balusters, a moulded handrail, and newels topped with shaped finials; panelling runs beneath. A fine encaustic tile floor paves the stair-hall. The dining room window contains four stained glass panels depicting figures, possibly relating to folk tales. Other stained glass features pink margin glazing and roundels throughout. Interior detailing includes distinctive panelled doors and some panelled ceilings. Several fireplaces attributed to Douglas survive, featuring wood-panelled chimney pieces with distinctive mouldings and bracketed mantelpieces. Two of these bear painted decoration to the upper panelling depicting flowers, birds, and figures, with decorative cast iron fire grates flanked by tile inserts. The landing retains a ceiling that appears to have been inserted later, containing two lights. Above this inserted ceiling lies wallpaper in the style of Morris & Co. From the west side of the landing, a short, steep staircase with diagonal treads ascends to an attic room.

The house was constructed in 1886, as indicated by the dated stone tablet on the west front.