Prestwold Hall , Prestwold (Grade I)

Hall, now largely as remodelled by William Burn in 1842-4 but incorporating a mid C18 H-plan house which influenced Burn?s plan and choice of style, and possibly fragments of something earlier still. Prestwold is of interest as one of Burn?s earlier English commissions, and one of his few houses in a classical style. All that is now visible is his work, in an elegantly wrought classical. The earlier brick house has been replaced and extended using Ancaster stone, ashlar throughout with angle quoins, sill courses and a modillion eaves cornice with balustraded parapets. The entrance (west) front is 3 storeys, 3-3-3, with the central bays recessed. In the centre is a projecting porte cochere, Roman Doric with 4 columns, triglyph frieze and cornice. Beneath this a doorway and pair of flanking windows with moulded stone aprons, all with semi circular arched heads. The central 1st floor windows of the projecting outer bays have pediments supported on consoles, and the ground floor windows have consoles supporting sills, and moulded aprons. All windows are sashes in shouldered architraves. To the left, a Doric collonade leads to the return wall of the stable yard and its entrance, ashlar, a shallow arch with projecting keystone, cornice and balustraded parapet above. The flanking wall is relieved by projecting pilasters, and a plain frieze and cornice.
Garden front, 3 storeys, 2-3-3-3. Sash windows with shouldered architraves. Outer 3 bays have full height segmental arched windows to ground floor. A conservatory fills the recessed central 3 bays, and projects slightly . Glass between elegant Doric pilasters, a cornice breaking forward over each one. Glass and iron roof. The central 1st floor window above has a pediment supported on consoles. 2nd floor windows are all on consoles.
East front was a completely new addition by Burn. 1 bay of ashlar with tripartite windows to each floor, full height on ground floor, and then 4 bays of painted brickwork with stone architraves to windows, solid parapet and panelled ashlar chimneys flush with wall face.
Internally, the finest room is the entrance hall with richly coloured marble walls and coffered ceiling painted in imitation of Raphael?s Vatican groteques, with arabesques etc., and incorporating miniature landscapes showing the house before and after restoration. Below are small medallion busts of the poets. An arcade opens on to a vaulted corridor leading to a top lit inner hall, these spaces also marbled. Other rooms include the library, drawing room and dining room, which all have plaster cornices, light plaster panelled ceilings, fine doorcases, and marble fireplaces. Doors and bookcases in library, 1875, Gillows. The cantilevered stone staircase survives from the C18 house, given its bracketted brass balusters by Wilkins, c1805. There is much concealed use of constructional cast iron in the house, for instance to support the lantern of the inner hall.
To the rear (North) of the house the service wing extends, forming one range of the stable courtyard. By Burn, who was noted for his skilful planning and arrangements for the discreet and efficient servicing of country houses, extended c1890. 2 storeys. Brick with slate roofs. Various doors and window openings with gauged brick heads, some altered.
See: Mark Girouard: The Victorian Country House 1975 pp138-42, Country Life, April 1959 pp828, 890, 948.