Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 18/12/2019
SU 97 NE
599/8/10011
WINDSOR
Longbourn
Meryton House (Formerly Clewer Manor)
(Formerly listed as Clewer Manor, IMPERIAL ROAD)
GV
II
Large house with stable and coach-house and garden walls; then school. Dated 1841 (on weather-vane) for Edmund Foster; alterations 1860s, for Edmund Benson Foster (inherited 1862); alterations 1922, extensive additions and further alterations 1936, all for Imperial Service College. Red brick, mostly in English bond, with blue header-brick decoration and diaper-work; Bath stone ashlar dressings; Welsh slate roofs. House of two storeys with attic. In Jacobean style, having: plinth; offset ashlar bands; quoined surrounds to mullioned and transomed windows; roll-moulded coping and finials to shaped gables; ashlar gargoyles; pierced ashlar parapets; chimneys with clustered octagonal stacks.
Entrance (south-west) elevation: seven asymmetrical bays.
The three principal bays to right form a balanced composition and have a projecting central entrance bay with curvilinear gable. Stone steps with decorative side walls and piers lead to internal porch which has four-centred arch of several orders, dripmould, coats of arms to tympana, and pointed-arched side-walls. Inside, further steps up to double-door with side-lights, all with pointed-arched panels below decorative etched glass (gone from doors). Above entrance is three-light oriel, stepped three-light attic window, and decorative initialled panel to gable. Flanking bays each have an added two-storey canted bay window and one-light window to gable, that on right widened. Tall chimneys flank entrance bay.
Bay to left of this rises as tower under swept ogee roof with bracketed eaves cornice, obelisk finial and weather-vane; windows of two lights to ground floor, one light above, those on two lower floors with blind upper lights decorated with coats of arms. To left again is a full-height two-storey bow with three-light windows having decorated blind lights as before. The next two bays were originally lower, raised by one storey, that on extreme left set at angle, both with decorative blind lights as before to mainly two-light windows.
Right return: three bays with central break. At centre, added two-storey canted bay window, as those at front, with flight of steps, as at front, up to French window; shaped gable with enlarged one-light window, shield and gable stack. Flanking bays each have a blind two-light window with decorative and initialled shields to ground floor, and an inserted two-light window above; two added flat-roofed dormers.
Rear: The three principal bays on left have shaped gables linked by parapet. At centre, added two-storey canted bay window with steps up to French window, as before. Flanking bays on ground floor appear to he rebuilt (in Flemish bond brickwork) and have six-light windows with king mullions and two-light windows above; enlarged one-light windows to gables, that on left now fire exit with metal stair. Wing set back to right, formerly of two storeys, now three, of 2:3 bays, those on right canted, the ground-floor windows with blind, decorated upper lights as before. At centre of canted bay is three-light window of 1860s which has decorated stepped panel above with shield initialled 'EFB' and flanking serpents.
Extensive C20 wings to the north-west of the main house enfold the former stable and coach-house. Built in the same materials as the main house and in similar, but plainer style, these form a two-storey L-shaped range with the former stable facing west and the coach-house at right angles to rear left. The stable is of six bays arranged 1:2:1:2, the single bays projecting and gabled and that on the right originally with four-centred-arched throughway; gable slits and one segmental-arched window to left bay survive, otherwise C20 windows and forward extension. Coach-house, viewed from inner courtyard, has projecting three-storey tower with pointed-arched former entrance, first-floor window under dripmould, recessed panel with C20 clock-face above, and former cupola removed; the three bays to right formerly had wide coach entrances below moulded bressumer; two windows above break eaves under gablets; right-hand gable is crow-stepped. Small section of tall c1841 brick stableyard wall survives, having off-set pilaster butresses; stepped, roll-moulded ashlar coping; and triangular-headed pedestrian entrance. C20 walling links this to another similar section which has walls sweeping down to projecting panel with shaped gable containing similar entrance.
Interior of house: detail is particularly elaborate on the ground floor, but throughout there are panelled doors, architraves, panelled reveals and shutters to windows, panelled cupboards, simply-moulded cornices, and fireplace surrounds. On ground floor, doorways are treated more elaborately, having panelled reveals, engaged fluted columns with Composite capitals and modillion cornices. Entrance hall, stair-hall and former drawing-room have applied plaster panelling; entrance hall, stair-hall, small former sitting-room (at front of house) and former dining- room have coffered plaster ceilings with panelling and finials; that to dining-room is particularly richly detailed. This room has also: panelled dado with marble insets; engaged fluted columns with composite capitals to walls, supporting segmental arches with decorative strapwork to tympana; marble fireplace with baluster-like columns, fluted frieze, moulded ledge, and mirror over in strapwork-decorated architrave; decorative strapwork over windows. Former drawing room runs full depth of house and has: fluted pilasters with composite capitals supporting frieze with embossed flowers and deep moulded cornice; marble fireplace has pilasters with classical female figures on pedestals, and frieze with recumbent female figure and trailing leaves. Stair-hall has similar pilasters, coved ceiling, and etched glass to window over. The Jacobean-style wooden stair has open string; turned balusters; moulded handrail with curtail; panelled newels with knob finials; first floor mirror flanked by recess and door, all with round arches and decorative modillion- bracketed open pediments.
A good early Victorian Jacobean-style house which retains much of its original character.
Listing NGR: SU9528575973
