Grantstown House

Detached five-bay two-storey house, c.1820, possibly over basement with three-bay two-storey bowed bay to centre, and three-bay two-storey side elevations. Extended, c.1870, comprising three-bay two-storey higher return to south-west having four-bay two-storey perpendicular wing to north-west forming U-shaped plan. Renovated, c.1995, to accommodate use as apartments. Hipped slate roofs (on an L-shaped plan to return and to perpendicular wing) behind parapets with clay ridge tiles, limestone ashlar chimney stacks having stringcourses and cornices, and cast-iron rainwater goods (on moulded rendered eaves to original block). Painted rendered walls with cut-stone quoins to corners, cut-limestone moulded cornice to original block having balustraded parapet over (rising to centre to bowed bay with segmental panel having foliate detailing, and finial to coping), and rendered coping to parapets to return and to perpendicular wing. Square-headed window openings with cut-stone sills, and replacement uPVC casement windows, c.1995. Square-headed door opening to return with replacement timber panelled door, c.1995, and overlight. Set back from road in own grounds with tarmacadam forecourt to north-west, and landscaped grounds to site.

A well-composed, substantial house of two distinctive periods of construction, which retains most of its original form and massing. The house is distinguished by an elegant bow, and fine cut-limestone detailing, which enhance the architectural design quality of the composition. However, renovation works undertaken in the course of converting the house to an alternative use have included the insertion of inappropriate replacement fittings to the openings, which do not enhance the external expression of the composition.