Description
John Honeyman, architect, 1866-7; mansion house,
incorporating lower 2-storey symmetrically planned
earlier/mid 19th century house (by J T Rochead). Stugged
ashlar coursers with polished dressings. Original house:
3-bay east elevation with entrance added by Honeyman; banded, Ionic-columned porch, recessed round-arched door with
flanking niches. 6-bay south elevation, ground floor outer
bays with later canted and balustraded windows, windows
between with bracketted hoods and decorative cast-iron 1st
floor balcony. Cill bands; channelled, clasping angle
pilaster strips; 3 centrally placed stacks linked by arches;
piended and platform roof.
Addition: designed in 3 distinctive parts; tall 2-bay,
3-storey and attic block adjoins earlier house, with
pedimented dormers set into balustrade over 2nd floor.
Pyramidal roof with brattishing and crown; to west, advanced,
lower, 3-storey block with canted windows to ground and 1st
floor, pilastered tripartite above; deep eaves, piended roof;
simple 2-storey 2-bay western block.
Interior: ornate plaster work with high Victorian detail,
especially in library, L-plan, with Corinthian-columned
screen and anthemion cornice; halls, round-arched screens
with Corinthian columns at ground floor, domed ceilings at
1st floor; ground floor classrooms and masters' common room
ribbed ceiling. Chimney-pieces mostly marble; Denny crest on
elaborate cast-iron stair balusters and 3-light stair window,
latter also with simple curvilinear pattern.