Clytha Park

Clytha Park is a Grade I country house built in the neo-classical style. The main structure is constructed in Bath stone ashlar walling with Midland sandstone (possibly Grinshill stone) used for the plinth, entablature, cornice and parapets. The building has a roughly square plan with slate low hipped valley roofs and features a front portico and a curved colonnade to the west. Two storeys throughout, with a coped parapet that steps up over the centres of the south and west fronts. Ashlar corniced chimneys run along each ridge.

The south front displays a 1-3-1 bay arrangement with angle pilasters in Bath stone. At its centre stands a fine Greek Ionic tetrastyle portico in sandstone with Bath stone pilaster responds. The first floor has four 12-pane sashes in moulded architraves, two of which are set within the portico. The ground floor features fine pedimented tripartite French windows on each side, with 5-15-5 panes, flanked by four thin pilasters with cornice and pediment. Within the portico sits a cast-iron glazed porch from the mid-19th century, featuring an ogee shallow-dome glazed roof, iron cornice and three sections divided by narrow lights between thin iron columns. The sections contain roundel and oval glazing, including on the double doors. Original half-glazed doors remain within, set in a pilastered surround with timber panelled thin piers and consoles.

The west front has a 2-3-2 window range with angle pilasters. The centre projects slightly and features a three-window bow in Bath stone, with the plinth, pilaster caps, cornice, parapets and bow colonnade executed in sandstone. A balustraded parapet on the bow maintains the line of side parapets as the centre parapet rises higher. The ground floor bow has an attached Greek Doric curved colonnade with entablature across three bays, with fluted columns. Curved sandstone steps and paving lead to this feature.

The east front is simpler in treatment, with unpainted stucco and stone dressings. The outer bays have pilasters with Bath stone capitals and architraves framing 12-pane sashes above and 15-pane sashes below, topped by a sandstone entablature, cornice and parapet.

The north side has undergone alteration, showing a 1-2-1 bay arrangement with Bath stone cornice and sandstone parapet. Rendered pilasters to the outer bays have Bath stone frames to openings and pilaster caps on the left bay, with similar stucco details on the right bay. The centre has two plain upper windows set lower, and a large tripartite ground floor window below in a stucco frame.

The interior represents outstanding neo-classical design. A circular south entrance hall with mahogany doors on three sides opens onto a square top-lit stair hall behind. The circular entrance hall features eight marbled Greek Doric columns with a marbled entablature decorated with wreaths and an enriched cornice displaying Greek anthemion ornament. The shallow dome is decorated with acanthus ribs and a large centre rose containing twelve acanthus leaves within a circle bordered with acanthus. The cornice features acanthus decoration. Niches in the diagonal bays hold marble busts on marble or granite shafts. A black polished marble fireplace with pilasters and wreaths stands on the east side. The floor is stone flagged with slate lozenges.

The stair hall is a fine roughly cubic space with the same stone floor. A stone cantilever stair rises from the east side on three sides, with fine iron rails featuring anthemion ornament. A landing stretches across the south side with console brackets beneath the cornice. The first floor landing features deep landings on three sides with fluted Doric columns and pilasters on the north side, arranged in antis with full entablature. Wreaths appear in the frieze over the columns, with a cornice topped by cresting of anthemion antefixae. The roof is deep-coved up to a large square opening bordered with rich double scroll moulding. Within sits a shallow blank lunette on each side with anthemion plasterwork, and squinches in the angles lead to an octagonal glazed lantern. Lion masks appear in the moulding below, with marginal bars to square windows and fluted thin Doric columns between. The cornice features brackets, ribs with ballflower ornament, and an acanthus rose.

The library to the southwest is square with a north fireplace and doors on the north and east sides. It has a cornice and rich ceiling border with an acanthus rose. A marble fireplace with fluted columns displays rosettes above and a lintel with acanthus leaves flanking a centre wreath plaque. The fine iron grate remains. Doors feature anthemion ornament in friezes and guilloche to frames.

The drawing room to the west has doors to the south and east, and is bowed to the front. It features a rich cornice and ceiling border with anthemion, lion masks and rosettes, with a centre acanthus rose surrounded by floral motifs. The north wall holds a fine marble fireplace with two torch-bearing caryatids wearing cushions on their heads beneath lotus capitals that carry a shelf. A fine anthemion frieze decorates the lintel, centred by a plaque of mourning cherubs. Shutters frame the windows.

The dining room to the southeast is a longer rectangular room with damask wall covering and a rich cornice featuring anthemion and acanthus frieze. The centre rose displays a double ring of acanthus with outer scrolls. Two doors occupy the northwest corner, while the north wall contains a full-height serving recess with square columns and cornice, balanced by a dummy door to its right. The east wall holds a severe dark marble fireplace with an iron and brass fire-basket. Three east windows have shutters.

The first floor landing provides access to east and west corridors with six-panel doors to bedrooms. Rear service areas include a stone flagged short hall behind the main stair hall with a service stair opening to the east. A reused 18th-century open well stair with turned balusters and ramped rail comprises two flights with three returns and two landings. The northwest room serves as study or office with a grey marble fireplace. The northeast room functions as kitchen.