Halton House

Halton House, Upper Icknield Way, Halton, HP22 5NP

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1332843
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-1985
List Entry Name:: Halton House
Statutory Address:: Halton House, Upper Icknield Way, Halton, HP22 5NP

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1332843
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-1985
List Entry Name:: Halton House
Statutory Address 1:: Halton House, Upper Icknield Way, Halton, HP22 5NP

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Halton House, Upper Icknield Way, Halton, HP22 5NP

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Buckinghamshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Halton
National Grid Reference:: SP 88033 10108

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 28/09/2020

SP 81 SE 5/83

HALTON UPPER ICKNIELD WAY Halton House

II* Country House. Since 1919 RAF Officer's Mess. 1881-83 by W R Rogers of Cubitts for Alfred de Rothschild, son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild, head of the British branch of the Rothschild international banking dynasty. Lionel de Rothschild bought the Halton Estate from Sir George Dashwood in 1853, including the manor house (no longer extant) close to the church, the grounds around it and parkland north of the Grand Union Canal. Baron de Rothschild was elected to the House of Commons in 1847, however as a practicing Jew was unable to take his seat as a Member of Parliament until 1858. The Baron died in 1879, soon after which his son, Baron Alfred (d 1918), began to build a house on a completely new site, previously agricultural land, 600m east of the church.

French Renaissance style, ashlar stone with steep slated roofs, iron crestings and finials, chimneys with cornices and pediment caps. Segmental pedimented dormers and oval windows to central bays, large open domed cupola to centre of garden front.

Two-storeys and attic, engaged Doric columns to ground floor with triglyph frieze. Metopes carved with Rothschild insignia; cornice and balustrades. Ionic order to first floor with sections of cornice. Bays flanking centre have pilaster order. Entrance and garden fronts both of six bays, the three outer in half-octagonal turrets, central bay with full height pedimented frontispiece, with porche-cochene to ground floor of entrance front. Tall plate glass casements, those to ground floor with semicircular arched heads. Carved panels over windows on south east tower. Attached terrace on garden front with stone steps, balustraded with urns. One-storey block at east end linked to lower service wing, one-storey and attic, in matching style. One-storey modern dining room extension on north side. Former winter garden at west end demolished 1937 and replaced by officers quarters by Vincent Harris. Ashlar stone with slate roof, three storeys square block, eight bays to each front, attic windows with oval heads and cills.

Interior: great central two-storey hall and staircase surrounded by state rooms all decorated in gilt plasterwork of great elaboration. Iron stair balustrade and balcony fronts to hall. Marble chimneypieces in all rooms. Billiard room lined with polished wood panelling. Gold room in Moorish style with gilt ceiling, arches, doorcases and dado. inter Garden corridor with white stone columns and niches.

History: said to be first house built for electric lighting.

Early example of hot air central heating. (see Beechwoods and Bayonets, The Book of Halton, A.E. Adam, Buckingham 1983).

Listing NGR: SP8803310108

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 42653
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Adam, A E, Beechwoods and Bayonets The Book of Halton, (1983)
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 4 Buckinghamshire,

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.