Saint John's House — ST. JOHN'S

Detached three- or five-bay two-storey over part raised basement country house, built 1810, on a U-shaped plan with single- or two-bay full-height bows on segmental plans; three-bay (south) or four-bay (north) full-height side elevations. Sold, 1897. Occupied, 1901; 1911. Sold, 1940. Resold, 1983. Resold, 1993, to accommodate alternative use. Hipped slate roof on a quadrangular plan including half-conical slate roofs (east); clay ridge tiles, cement rendered chimney stacks on axis with ridge having concrete capping supporting terracotta or yellow terracotta pots, rooflights, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-granite "Cyma Recta" or "Cyma Reversa" cornice retaining cast-iron downpipes. Rendered, ruled and lined walls with rusticated cut-granite quoins to corners; slate hung surface finish to side (south) elevation on cement rendered base. Segmental-headed central door opening approached by flight of seven cut-granite steps with cut-granite surround framing timber panelled door having fanlight. Square-headed window openings with cut-granite sills, and concealed dressings framing three-over-three (basement), six-over-nine (ground floor) or six-over-six (first floor) timber sash windows without horns. Elliptical-headed central window opening to rear (west) elevation with cut-granite sill, and concealed dressings framing fixed-pane fitting having stained glass margins. Interior including (ground floor): bow-ended central hall retaining carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors, "Acanthus"-detailed decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose, staircase on a dog leg plan with turned timber "spindle" balusters supporting carved timber banister terminating in volute, carved timber Classical-style surround to window opening to half-landing framing timber panelled shutters, carved timber surrounds to door openings to landing framing timber panelled doors, and "Acanthus"-detailed decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose; bow-ended drawing room (south) retaining carved timber surround to door opening framing timber panelled door with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters, "Acanthus"-detailed cut-white marble Classical-style chimneypiece, and "Acanthus"-detailed decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling on decorative plasterwork frieze centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose; bow-ended dining room (north) retaining carved timber surround to door opening framing timber panelled door with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, cut-veined black marble Classical-style chimneypiece, and "Acanthus"-detailed decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling on decorative plasterwork frieze centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose; and carved timber surrounds to door openings to remainder framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers. Set in landscaped grounds.