Essex House

Description

This information is taken from the statutory List as it was in 2001 and may not be up to date.

CHARD

ST3308 FORE STREET 756-1/4/72 (North side) 24/03/50 Essex House

GV II*

House. Mid C18, altered early and late C19. Pebbledash, with Ham Hill stone parapet, rusticated quoins and cornice, and hipped slate roof. Double-depth plan with central entrance and stair hall. 2 storeys, symmetrical 5-window range. Doorcase has Tuscan-style columns fronting rusticated pilasters to entablature. Venetian window with Tuscan-style columns and heavy cornice, possibly late C19. Extension to left has 2-window range to front with similar ground-floor sash windows to main facade, ie. 2/2-pane sashes; first floor of extension has 8/8-pane sashes. Rear: keyed lintels over late C19 four-pane sashes and tall sash with margin glazing bars to stair hall; early C19 two-storey bay with margin glazing bars.

INTERIOR: C18 cornicing and mid C19 cast-iron ceiling rose to hall, with paired pilasters to rear stair hall which has C18 cornicing and mid C19 coloured glass to stairlight. First-floor features include some C18 moulded wood architraves and 2-panelled door to front room on left. This room has retained an early C18 wall painting on its rear wall, flanked by a doorway to right and niche to the left; painting is divided into 3 panels by fluted Ionic pilasters and depicts biblical scene in provincial Baroque style with Putti, etc. to outer panels and Madonna and Child to centre; quotation in panel to right above door is from Genesis, Chapter 21, verse 17, reads "And the / angel of God / called to / Hagar out / of Heaven". A particularly rare and important survival.

Listing NGR: ST3238908636

Content

This is part of the Series: IOE01/0196 IOE Records taken by Richard Bland; within the Collection: IOE01 Images Of England

Rights

© Mr Richard Bland. Source: Historic England Archive

This photograph was taken for the Images of England project