The Manor of Groves

Details

TL 41 SE HIGH WYCH HIGH WYCH LANE (west side) High Wych Village

6/2 The Manor of Groves (Formerly Grove Lodge) - - II Country house. Early C19 remodelling of an earlier house, probably for Thomas Nathaniel Williams, the owner in 1823 (VCH (1912) 339), at the manorial centre of lands belonging to Reading Abbey up to the Dissolution. Stucco neo-classical house with hipped slate roofs, set in a small park, facing S. Large 2 storey pavilions appear to have been added to each end of a lower and earlier, 3 storey centre and the whole fronted by a continuous projecting stone loggia or 'colonnade' after the manner of Henry Holland's remodelling of Southill House, Beds (1796-1800). W pavilion contains a high kitchen with a bedroom over: E pavilion formerly contained the diningroom, entrance hall and staircase with the drawing-room probably on the 1st floor. This wing was altered and sympathetically extended northwards c.1904 possibly by Alfred Burr FRIBA (signed survey plan of house). The semicircular Ionic E porch, shown on old photographs c.1914 in the house, no longer exists. The long S front has 3 casement windows along the central part and 2 sash windows to each pavilion. The Doric colonnade of 8 bays obscures the lower storey. It has fine Portland stone columns said to be from London Bridge, and the entablature and balustrade with die over each column is in a yellow stone. The loggia is paved in grey and white marble, and has had the column spacing adjusted next to the E pavilion to accommodate a glazed timber screen. Chanelled plaster pilasters in the central section are differently spaced and suggest an earlier loggia confined to this part. Hipped roofs of pavilions have a broad eaves overhang with paired brackets to the painted soffit. Recessed sash windows with 6/6 panes on each floor. Lower centre has 3, hipped dormers breaking through eaves, and 3-light wooden casement windows with small panes on the 1st floor. Entrance front on E has channelled rustication to the lower floor with round-headed windows each with a recessed arch and with a sunk panel below. 2-light wooden casements with margin lights and heavy central meeting rails. Elliptical-coved head to doorway diminishes to semicircular inner doorway between slender fluted Greek Doric columns in the angles. Flanking tapered pilasters and semicircular step remain from earlier external stone porch. Smooth stucco upper part has projecting moulded window surrounds to the tall sash windows with 6/6 panes. Originally this facade was of 3 widely spaced windows with the entrance door below the righthand window. The extension to the N has produced a 6-window elevation with the original door still in the centre, but more closely spaced new matching windows to the right on each floor. Glazed double doors with semicircular fanlight and elaborate arrangement of folding shutters on the inside. Shallow additions in painted brick in service court at rear (N). At W end of loggia a small single storey slate and stucco billiard room with very large 3-sided canted wooden bay window on S with sashes. A C19 building on W end is higher, with a serrated northlight roof. Elaborate interior has unusual cantilevered stair in hardwood, in sub- rectangular stairwell, lit by a tall sash window with margin lights. Moulded, panelled doors curved on plan, at the angles of the Ground floor, with round-headed niches at the half-landing, flanking the door to the older part of the house. Modillioned plaster cornices with paterae. Carved white marble fire surrounds in drawing-room and bedroom over (S rooms of E pavilion). A fine neo-classical small country house.

Listing NGR: TL4591414728

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

394201

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, A, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1912), 339

End of official list entry

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