Triley Court

Triley Court

A Georgian country house of two storeys with an eleven-bay front elevation. The central five bays are advanced and topped with a pediment, while a single bay is set back to the right at a lower level. The building is constructed of plain brick with a plinth, and features slate hipped roofs set behind a parapet with a dentil cornice (removed from the left return elevation after 1910) and replaced to the centre with a platband bearing regular incised geometric detailing. Brick chimney stacks are distributed across the roofline.

The fenestration includes projecting cills and segmental window heads throughout. Horned small-pane sash windows with hidden boxes are employed across the front and sides. A semi-circular window with radial glazing lights the apex of the pediment. The first floor displays a Venetian window in the central bay, with plain margin windows flanking a round-headed window featuring fluted pilasters, capitals and keystones.

The principal entrance is particularly distinguished. A stone door surround frames wide plain glazed double doors set in a recessed Gibbs-style surround with flanking engaged Tuscan columns, cornice and stringcourse. Above rises a Dutch-style pediment with consoles and ball finials on either side, a raised open scroll surround, and a central plain cartouche with a resting bird. The entrance is approached via a double flight of bull-nosed steps.

The left side elevation contains four bays, with the outer two offset and the central pair grouped together. It formerly had an end stack, now removed, and a modern conservatory has been added to the ground floor. The rear elevation has been substantially altered with varying fenestration; the original early 19th-century core retains a higher parapet and narrow pediment with a semi-circular window. A flat-roofed ground floor extension replaces a late 19th-century conservatory from the Philips Price phase. The right side elevation contains a single window.

A long brick service range of three storeys is set back and attached to the rear, maintaining the roof height of the main house. Further to the right and set back stands a two-storey stone coach-house and stable range, largely modernised but retained as service buildings of special interest to the main house.

The interior plan and detailing of the original house of Arcadia survive substantially. Later extensions and alterations have largely maintained this layout and character.

The outer hall features a 'CAVE CANEM' tiled floor in the style of that found at the House of the Tragic Poet in Pompeii. The staircase hall contains a fine quarter-turn stair against the rear wall with turned paired balusters to each step, a curled and ramped handrail, closed string and panelled construction. A chimney breast to the left (the fireplace has been removed, though it was present in 1978) and a wide arched entrance to the inner hall define the space. The inner hall was later subdivided into two rooms but retains full classical surrounds to its windows, fireplace and arched opening (now blocked) to the outer hall. To the right of the staircase hall a passage leads to a later secondary stair and former library to the front, which has a fireplace. To the left of the staircase hall are the former drawing room (to the front) and dining room (to the rear), both of the Philips Price phase. The right-hand range contains the kitchen (fitted with a late 19th-century Eagle range), other domestic offices and rooms, all of the Philips Price phase.

The first floor largely retains its original plan form, although alterations were made for later institutional use. The principal bedroom features pilaster-framed cupboards flanking a late Georgian-style fireplace. Skirting boards, cornices, shutters, window surrounds, flooring and other features of interest survive throughout the building.