Shrubland Hall, Including Attached Screen Walling on East Side, and Terraces and Balustrading on South and West Sides

Details

BARHAM SHRUBLAND ESTATE TM 15 SE 3/18 Shrubland Hall, including attached screen walling on 9.12.55 east side, and terraces and balustrading on south and west sides. - II* A large country mansion built in 3 main stages:- 1. 1770-72 by James Paine, for Revd. John Bacon. 2. Remodelled 1830-32 by Gandy Deering for Sir W.F. Middleton, Bart. 3.Remodelled 1849-55 by Sir Charles Barry (together with garden architecture) for same client. West, garden front:- Central block by Paine, 3 storeys, 5 bays. 3 further bays added by Gandy Deering on either side. Gault brick with dressings of limestone and stucco. The 5 centre bays are divided by giant Ionic pilasters supporting a moulded and dentilled cornice, open balustrading, and a large urn at each bay. The flanking ranges have similar balustrading at a lower level, the terminal bays set forward in the form of stuccoed pavilions. To left is a service range (c.1851), set well back, but with similar detailing and bearing the achievement of the Owner at parapet level. To right is a massive Italianate cower of c.1850 with rusticated quoins and an open arcaded 4ch stage with parapets above, capped by ball finials. Windows have broad stuccoed architraves, shouldered and eared; various sashes and French windows, most also with cornices on brackets. The east entrance front, a limestone- faced remodelling by Gandy Deering, has a grand entrance in the Baroque manner leading to the staircase hall: detached Doric columns with vermiculated rusticated blocks support a bold moulded and dentilled cornice and open parapets. The arched doorway has a scrolled keystone and rusticated block voussoirs; a pair of 3-panelled glazed entrance doors with coved and panelled stone surround, and a fanlight with radiating bars. A pair of single-storey 3-bay wings with Doric columns and round-headed windows flank the entrance, with semi-elliptical screen walls of gault brick divided into bays by limestone piers with ball finials. At each end is a gateway with pairs of wrought iron gates, and piers with rusticated quoins. The left-hand pair of gates is especially fine with rich wrought-iron foliage in the French manner. A large conservatory was added 1855-56 to the south side, in 7 bays with an aisle supported on slender wrought iron columns. The main internal spaces are at 1st storey level: a drawing room with fine gilded plaster ceiling in the Adam style by James Paine, and a similar ante-room; a library with moulded plaster ceiling by Gandy Deering in Louis XV style (later extended into tower); also by him is the ramped staircase block and coffered entrance hall. Attached to the west side is an elevated terrace in white limestone: at the centre an arch gives access to the ground storey behind. The arch is flanked by niches and 4 columns with frosted rusticated bands. The retaining wall has large fielded stone panels and open balustrading; at each end is a flight of steps down to the upper gun terrace, with a pair of urns at the head of each flight. A lower terrace is attached to the conservatory on the south side. It has limestone balustrading with square piers at bay intervals, capped by large enriched vases and urns of terracotta and limestone. At the centre is a divided flight of steps with a pool and fountain at the base. The house is illustrated and described in Country Life Magazine 19th November 1953; the garden archicecture is described in the following issue.

Listing NGR: TM1263152505

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

279211

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Country Life in 19 November, (1953)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 39 Suffolk,

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