Woodhall Park (Heath Mount School)

Details

WATTON-AT-STONE WOODHALL PARK TL 31 NW 4/208 Woodhall Park 20.10.52 (Heath Mount School) GV I

Country house, now school. 1777-82 by T. Leverton for Sir T. Rumbold. Altered and extended 1794 for P. Benfield. Yellow stock brick. Stone dressings. Shallow hipped slate roofs. Neo-classical style. 2:3:2 centre block of 2 storeys and attic with 3 bay link blocks, originally 1 now 2 storeys, to pavilion ends. Principal elevation to garden. Central Giant Ionic engaged tetrastyle portico has rusticated ashlar ground floor with 3 round headed openings. Steps up to central French windows, flanking tall single glazing bar sashes with dummy balustrades below sills, anthemion and acanthus impost band. String course to bases of Ionic columns with acanthus necking. Pulvinated frieze has a blank panel to centre. Modillioned pediment. First floor single glazing bar sashes, architraves with dentilled cornices, dummy balustrades. Attic 3:3 light architraved sashes. Set back slightly are outer bays of main block. Double plinth. Ground floor 6:9 pane glazing bar sashes, architraves have panelled jambs with acanthus consoles to rosettes, panels in friezes to dentilled pediments. String course near base of ground floor windows. Plat band to first floor with sashes as to centre bays. String course at sill level. Attic as to centre. Modillioned eaves cornice with blocking course. Axial and cross axial stacks with moulded cappings flanking central 3 bays. 5 bay returns on central block with link blocks extending from rear bays. Cellar, similar fenestration with some dummy windows, continued string course and plat band. Right link block has plinth over cellar with small pane casements. Slightly projecting central bay with a round headed sash, dummy balustrade. Flanking blind niches with finely gauged bricks above which are stucco panels of arms. String course to dentilled cornice. Outer bays have similar round headed sashes, relieving arches, string courses, impost blocks. Later upper storey has 3:3 pane sashes with stucco panels flanking central window, cornice to plain parapet. Right end pavilion projects with slight rebates at angles. Large tripartite sash, architrave with quarter pilasters, dentilled cornice with panel in frieze, over this a stone archivolt to a relieving arch with a radiating shell motif, impost bands over blind niches and festooned stucco panels. Stuccoed ovals in spandrels, cornice to pediment. Cross axial stacks flank pavilions. Axial stacks on link blocks. Left link block was originally a screen to service yard. Central bay has inserted tripartite French windows with a segmental head. Right bay has a 1 storey quadrant addition in angle with main block with a similar tripartite window, otherwise as to right. Left pavilion is as to right. 3 bay returns on pavilions are 2 storeys. Ground floor glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads, that to centre with a floating dentilled cornice. Plat band to first floor with 3:3 light windows, cornice to parapet. Right return has steps to a central 2/3 glazed door with a large fanlight, iron railings enclosing cellar area. Rear or present entrance elevation, 2:3:2 on main block. Slightly projecting centre with a mid C19 octastyle Ionic portico on ground floor, paired columns. Central entrance behind has a 2/3 glazed door with architrave, fanlight, consoles to pediment, flanking sashes have floating segmental pediments on consoles. First floor architraved sashes, that to centre lugged with a relieving arch. Attic 3:3 light windows, string course to panelled frieze with guttae to modillioned pediment. Outer bays have plain sashes, details as to front and returns. Link blocks and pavilions extended to rear in 1794 to project 2 bays, largely dummy windows in inner returns. 4 bay links have plain sashes, plat band. Slightly projecting 3 bay pavilions have rebated corners, floating cornices on consoles to centre on ground floor, pediments. Interior: entrance into near cubic saloon, Etruscan, possibly by P.M. Borgnis, chimneypiece with inlay, painted medallions and arabesques, radiating shell in shallow domed ceiling. Central Great Staircase, cantilevered stair swept round an open well in 1 flight along 3 walls to first floor gallery, bracket moulded soffits to treads, wrought iron balustrade, moulded ramped and wreathed handrail. Plaster a l'antique, paintings of 4 seasons and 4 continents, aedicular doorcases, upper level has radiating fans with coffered vaults, toplit by large domical lantern. Original entrance hall is double cube with blind arcading, pedimented doorcases, plaster ceiling. These 3 central rooms all have white stone paving with slate dots. In a link block is print room, 1782 by R. Parker, blind arches flank chimneypiece, coved ceiling, walls entirely covered with engraved paper, reproductions of paintings with frames, ribbons, chains, busts, candelabra, piers with vases. Small octagonal space in same link block with traceried fanlights. Billiard room has C19 classical plasterwork ceiling, C18 chimneypieces and a pierglass on ground floor. Subsidiary stair is tightly wound round an open well with an oval top light. First floor study with plaster ceiling, chimneypiece with inlay and sienna. In link block is a 1794 Gothick chamber, plasterwork with shallow domed ceiling, segmental vaults, 4 centred arched chimneypiece all with cusped interlacing tracery. The grounds to Woodhall Park were landscaped by W. Malcolm, Royal Nurseryman, c.1780. (VCH 1912: Country Life 31/7 and 7/2/25, 11/4/25, 10/9/48: C. Hussey, English Country House: Mid Georgian, 1955: Pevsner 1977).

Listing NGR: TL3164518896

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

356323

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, A, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1912)
Hussey, C, English Country Houses Mid Georgian 1760-1800, (1956)
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977)
Country Life in 10 September, (1948)
Country Life in 11 April, (1925)
Country Life in 31 July, (1925)
Country Life in 7 February, (1925)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 21 Hertfordshire,

End of official list entry

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