Stanford Hall

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In the entry for:

STANFORD ON SOAR STANFORD HALL SK 52 SE DRIVE 8/80 Stanford Hall 14.5.52 GV II*

the entry shall be amended by adding the following to the end of the description:

Raked auditorium floor with 2 sets ofseats and a central aisle. Orchestra pit has a central organ which can be raised and lowered during performances. This Wurlitzer organ was made at their Tonawanda factory and despatched on 20.7.1926 to The Madeleine Theatre, Paris, France. It was purchased by SirJulian Cahn, for £20,000, and despatched to Stanford 25.5.1937, it was modified and enlarged when it was installed. The theatre was designed by Cecil Aubrey Masey, a well known cinema architect, to allow Sir Julian to present magic shows as well as films, he was the president of the Leicester Magic Circle. The walls were decorated with murals by Beatrice MacDermott, the theatre seated 352 people, and cost £73,000.

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STANFORD ON SOAR STANFORD HALL DRIVE SK 52 SE (south side) 8/80 Stanford Hall 14.5.52 G.V. II* Country house, now Co-operative College. Early C18, for Lewes family, 1771-4 by Mr. Henderson of Loughborough for Charles Vere Dashwood, altered and extended c.1892 by W. H. Fletcher, further alterations and extensions in the late 1930s by Messrs. Allom for Sir Julian Cahn. Further mid C20 extensions and alterations. Red brick with ashlar dressings. Hipped slate roof topped with a painted balustrade. 6 red brick stacks behind. Ashlar entablature with modillion cornice and blocking course. The central 3 bays slightly project and are topped with a modillion pediment containing single cartouche. Ashlar plinth, ground and first floor sill bands and first floor band. Two and a half storeys plus cellar, 7 bays. Each ground floor bay apart from the doorway is flanked by single ashlar pilaster strips, forming giant Ionic pilasters over the band. Flanking the central openings above the ground floor are 2 similar pilasters. Cellar with 6 pairs of sashes. Central C19 porch with Ionic columns and entablature. The side walls each with single arched opening with decorative iron grille, fluted keystone and impost bands. Either side are single Ionic pilasters. Inner C18 painted door surround. Arched doorway with C20 door, over panel and moulded imposts. Either side are single Doric style columns with fluted capitals. These support a frieze decorated with a swag and roundels. Flanking the columns are 2 similar pilasters, with modillion cornice. Either side are 3 sashes with inner casements with 2 pointed arched lights, each sash in moulded early C18 ashlar surround with later cornice. The single windows flanking the doorway also have later key pattern friezes. Above, single central sash in moulded ashlar surround with fluted frieze flanked by single decorative brackets supporting a segmental pediment. Either side are single similar sashes with similar surrounds, however the fluted frieze is flanked by single roundels, pediments over. Under each of these 3 openings is a single recessed blind panel. Further right and left are 2 similar sashes with similar surrounds to those of the ground floor. Above are 7 glazing bar sashes in ashlar surrounds. To the right and left and slightly set back are 2 storey 3 bay curved out quadrant wings, the ground floor being late C18 and the first floors C19. Ashlar plinths, ashlar band broken by ground floor lintels, first floor and first floor sill bands. Cornice. Single central bays slightly project and have single doorways with panelled double doors and decorative overlights. Either side are single sashes. Over the firwst floor band of each single central bay is a single ashlar panel containing single ashlar swag, the ashlar pediment over breaks into the sill of the first floor, round arched blind panel above with ashlar keystone and impost bands terminating in single decorative ashlar scrolls. Either side are singe sashes. All openings are set into round arched recessed panels, those on the first floor with keystones. The wing on the right with lead grotesque to first floor. Extending either side of these wings are small sections of wall with ashlar quoins, these terminate in single ashlar piers topped with decorative urns. Extending across the whole of this front, broken by the doorways, is an ashlar wall, balustraded in parts. Further right are C19 and C20 wings. Further left is a C19 two and a half storey, 5 bay wing and on the far left, set back, the 1930s theatre. Garden front has to the 5 bay C18 build with ashlar bands, cornice and blocking course, a single central two and a half storey canted bay with central doorway with glazed double door and overlight flanked by single Ionic columns with entablature and modillion pediment. Over is a single sash with fluted frieze, roundels and segmental pediment. The remaining bays with single sashes with moulded ashlar surrounds, first floor also with cornices. Projecting to the right and left are C19 2 storey, 4 bay wings with similar bands and cornices. Ashlar quoins to the ground floors and Ionic ashlar corner pilasters to the first floors. The central 2 bays of each wing are topped with an ashlar pediment. Bays with single sashes with similar ashlar surrounds and cornices. Further right and left are various C19 and C20 wings including on the far right the two and a half storey, 7 bay theatre. Extending across the whole of this front is an ashlar terrace, balustraded in parts and with ashlar steps leading off. Including ashlar garden seats, decorative piers and urns. Also including at the west end a 1930s open arcade supported on decorative cement Ionic columns and enclosing on 3 sides a coloured mosaic floor with central decorative mosaic pool and fountain. The fourth side is enclosed by the house. Interior. Reconstructed in the late 1930s by Messrs. Allom. Profusely and richly decorated in various period and modern styles. Most major rooms, including bedrooms, with decorative cornices, panelled dados, decorative marble and other fireplaces, some with overmantels. A number of rooms with decorative ceilings, some with further decoration to the panelling. Some decorated and shaped doorcases, others with good panelled doors and reveals. Study panelled with gilt decoration, other rooms also with gilt decoration. Open well staircase with decorative newels and balusters, carved tread ends, walls further decorated with Ionic pilasters. Lady Cahn's boudoir with decorated mirrored ceiling and decorative panel over the fireplace. The nursery is panelled and has decorative pilasters flanking the windows and larger panels, doorway concealed in false bookcase. Reputed to retain a single lavishly decorated marble bathroom. The theatre has coved moulding conceling the lights. The coloured decoration in the form of figures and horses. Doors with decorative gilt cornices and glass panels depicting the signs of the zodiac.

Listing NGR: SK5588423867

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