Bradbourne House

Details

TQ 75 NW
8/181

EAST MALLING AND LARKFIELD CP
NEW ROAD (east side)
Bradbourne House

1.8.52

GV
I
Country house, in landscaped park. 1713-1715, on site of Tudor house, retaining some parts of this building in kitchen area and west wing of C17, refaced. Some work also of 1748 and also, especially internally, of c.1774. Main work of 1713-15 for Sir Thomas Twysden. Restored c.1950.

West front: wing of C17 refaced in 1713-15. Brick, Brown with red dressing in outer bays, pinky-buff and vermilion in centre on red and blue brick plinth. Coupled brick pilasters at ends and flanking central projection. Modillion eaves cornice and tall central pediment with keyed oculus to panelled parapet and slate roof with four triangular pediment dormers and panelled end stacks with cornice mouldings. Two storeys and attics. 3-3-3 window rhythm the central bays space width and the entrance bay wider than all others. First floor windows shallower than very tall ground floor windows. Each window bay framed by chainage, with gauging over each window, those on ground floor over windows in second, fourth, sixth and eighth bays without decorated soffits. Single keystones in moulded brick on first floor, triple keystones below. Sunk panels below each window except those flanking central entrance and the round-arched window in segment-headed brick sunk and with impost mouldings over entrance. Central Corinthian pilastered entrance surround with broken bracketted modillion cornice hood moulding above. Double three-quarter glazed doors with large c.1760 wreathed and radiating fanlight over. Convex quadrant walls flanking perron with end piers and globes flanking.

South front: nine bay, one storey and attic wing, possibly of 1748 with central three bay bow of c.1774 flanked by the ends of two wings both of 1713-15. Red, brown, blue, vermilion, orange and buff brick centre. Centre nine bays with tall windows with gauged and keyed heads flanking central bow with similar though shallower windows. Modillion cornice, panelled parapet with two urns over bow and plain tiled roof with three dormers, the central with segmental pediment, the outer pair with triangular pediments. Wing of two storeys framed by giant pilasters in brick with modillion cornice panelled parapet and central panelled stack resting on parapet. Three bays with chainage, that in centre bay projecting. Blocked panels in centre bay that on ground floor containing fictive niche in brick tiling. Outer ground floor bays panelled and broken by keyed oculi. Glazing bar sashes above. All windows and panels with gauged heads, and single brick keystones above, triple keystones below. Single blocked panelled windows on both floors in re-entrant angles. Lead down-pipes with Loppars dated 1748.

North front: red brick with orange dressings. Two storeys; central seven bay recess and two bay wings that to right with modillion cornice and panelled parapet and therefore higher. Tall panelled stacks on wings, centrally on parapet to left, over left-hand bay to right. Blocked windows to wings, and in re-entrant angles (only one in left angle, two to right), and blocked windows on both floors in second and sixth bays of recess. Sunken panels below first floor windows throughout, and over first floor windows in right-hand wing. Gauged heads, brick keystarts and chainage throughout, decorated soffits to gauged heads only over first floor windows of right-hand wing. Central panelled door with radiating fanlight of c.1840. Pedimented porch projecting five yards on thin columns, and wooden railings closing recess to either side. Kitchen wing, two storeys, red brick set back to left.

Interior: staircase, two-flight return stair in wood with Salamonic balustrade, covered tread ends and underside to risens Hall. Fielded panelling, 1713-15. Telephone room fielded panelling, 1713-15. Green room, fielded panelling, 1713-15. Great Hall, fielded panelling with egg and dark surrounds, probably 1713-15, dentilled cornice. Central egg and dark ceiling panel. Bolection mould fireplace surround. Breakfast room. Fielded panelling. Drawing room. Bow end. Adamesgne decoration to plaster ceiling, cornice, window surrounds, shutters and Dado rail. Ionic columned grey/green marble fire surround with central and undermantel panel of Diana. Printing room. Papier mache late rococo ceiling, c.1750. Ionic columned fine surround in white/grey marble. Walnut staircase. Three-flight rectangular staircase with two chain-leg balusters pin tread. Kitchen. Large chamfered wooden bressumer, perhaps remaining from original house. Large bread oven and C19 hand pump.

First floor. Doors off walnut staircase all of walnut. Bedroom 1. Marble fireplace with mantel on grey marble volute brackets overmantel surmounted by broken pediment ontaining eagle. Egg and dark surround fielded panelling. Passage on first floor contains same small square panelling possibly remaining from original house, circa 1580 in date. Bedroom 2. Fielded panelling, barrel-vaulted ceiling and Adamiesque fire surround. Bedroom 3. Fielded panelling and fire surround of circa 1713-15.

Listing NGR: TQ7034957919

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

179355

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Country Life in 13 April, (1967)
Country Life in 20 April, (1967)
Country Life in 24 August, (1918)
Country Life in 6 April, (1967)

End of official list entry

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