Reasons for Designation
REASON FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
The Villa on Brownsea Island has been designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a well preserved and good quality example of a Gothic house of the 1850s with a further building campaign in the later C19
* The external architectural distinction of the property is subdued but refined, as befits its intended purpose as a vicarage
* The composition is successful and has detailing including decorative bargeboards, stone mullioned and transomed windows, drip mould, and decorative stone panels and shield
* There is particularly good survival of original features inside including marble and cast iron fireplaces, a decorative ceiling, cornices, panelled doors and other joinery, and two staircases
Details
STUDLAND
301/0/10018 The Villa
04-MAR-09
II
House, built in two principal phases 1854-57 and 1888, with some alteration in 1912. In a Gothic style
MATERIALS: Buff and red brick, partly rendered, with stone dressings. Fenestration to the main part of the house consists of stone mullioned and transomed windows, with drip-moulds to the flat-headed first floor windows, and timber sash windows with glazing bars to the rear, north west and north east sides. Pitched tile roof to original part of house, slate covering to the roof of the later rear service range.
PLAN: It has a fairly compact but asymmetrical plan. The principal rooms are located towards the front of the house; to the rear of which is a three bay block that formed the service wing. A further attached service range of 1888 and attached outbuilding, built at right angles to the rest of the building, front onto a walled courtyard.
EXTERIOR: The south principal facade is of three bays. It consists of two slightly projecting outer bays, gabled at full height, with mullioned and transomed canted bay windows to ground floor and similar three-light windows at first floor. Carved stone panels are set in the apex of each of these gables. The central bay has an oriel window at first floor with its own gabled roof above. The gables have decorative barge boards. The south east, entrance elevation is characteristically asymmetrical and has a slightly projecting stack to the left and gable to the right. In front of this gable is a single storey projecting porch with a four-centred arched doorway. In the gable above the entrance is a shield, blank except for a wide band, which has a carving of an angel above; whilst at first floor the opening is a three-light round-headed window. Beyond, to the north, the wall steps back, with the original service block occupying the left hand three bays and a further bay which forms part of the later C19 service range beyond. As expected with a service range, these rear elevations are plainer and face onto the courtyard. Here the openings to the original service block have gauged brick lintels and those to the later service range have camber-headed brick lintels. The west elevation consists of, from left to right, three bays to the later service range with camber-headed sash windows to both floors, and four bays to the original house. Although similar in style to the mullioned and transomed windows to the front elevation, the windows in these bays may possibly be later replacements and are characterised by heavier stonework than elsewhere and do not have drip moulds.
INTERIOR: High level of survival to all floors with a Gothic theme throughout much of the property. The front door leads into a vestibule with a flagged floor, which leads to the main hall. The main open well staircase leads from the hall; it has carved newel posts, decorative string brackets and carved handrail. Above the stairs is a groin-vaulted segmental ceiling with central bosses of acanthus leaves. It is supported on brackets which are in turn supported on cherub heads. The main hall has been enlarged by the removal of the partition wall to the principal room at the south east corner of the house. The marble fireplace to this room is Gothic in style with rich mouldings and polygonal jambs to either side of the four-centred arch. The other principal rooms, located on the south side of the house, lead off a corridor that extends the width of the house. These rooms retain Gothic fireplaces either with cusped heads or quatrefoils to the friezes; panelled doors; richly moulded architraves; skirting boards and cornices. The kitchen retains a cast iron range and fixed dresser shelves, beyond which are the back stairs former scullery, larder, pantry and wine store. The plan form to the first floor mirrors that to the floor below and it also retains C19 door furniture, cornices and fireplaces, including a later-C19 Art Nouveau fire surround.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The rear courtyard is bounded on its east side by a brick wall with a central gateway that appears to date from the late C19.
HISTORY: In 1852 Brownsea Island was bought by Major William Petrie Waugh who was responsible for the construction of the Church of St Mary on the south east side of the island in 1853-54, and The Villa which is situated some distance to the north, in the 1850s. This house was originally built as a vicarage although it was never occupied for this purpose. Waugh's hope of finding and working good quality china clay on the island came to nothing and it was offered for sale by auction in 1857. After some delay it was purchased in the 1870s by George Cavendish-Bentinck, an MP. Shortly afterwards, in 1881, The Villa was extended with the addition of a new service range and became the family residence of the son of the island's owners. It was further altered in 1912 for Noel Van Raalte, the son of the owners at that time, and his wife.
REASON FOR DESIGNATION DECISION:
The Villa on Brownsea Island is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a well preserved and good quality example of a house of the 1850s with a further building campaign in the later C19 which has a successful Gothic theme throughout much of the building
* The external architectural distinction of the property is subdued, as befits its intended purpose as a vicarage
* The composition is successful and has consistently good quality details including decorative bargeboards, stone mullioned and transomed windows, drip moulds, and decorative stone panels
* There is an excellent survival of original features inside including marble and cast iron fireplaces, a plaster ceiling that combines both Gothic and Classical elements, cornices, two staircases, and panelled doors and other joinery
SOURCES
Royal Commission of Historic Buildings and Monuments, `An Inventory of Historic Monuments in the County of Dorset' (1970), vol. II, part 2, pp276-81
J. Sutton, `Brownsea Island - A History'(1981), The National Trust
