Listed Building: DOWNSWOOD (1375771)

CHESTER CITY (EM) SJ46NW DOWNSWOOD DRIVE 1932-1/2/74 Downswood 14/10/91 II Detached house. 1887-8. Probably by Samuel Hill Holme. Ruabon red brick dressed in stone and terracotta with red tile roof. Vernacular Revival style. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 4 bays. Arched 6-panel double doors of oak in projecting porch with stone lower storey inscribed "Fine que cui vide: in Domine confido: 1887:1888". Brick mullioned and stone transomed leaded windows with ogee-arched heads, of 4 lights in right bay and recessed stair-bay left of doorway, then a canted half-bay window against return to left bay which has 4-light window. Carved stone frieze above entrance; between lower and upper storeys of right and left bays a double row of ornate brick panels above a terracotta string; a row of 4 small brick-mullioned leaded lights surmounted by a row of panels in the entrance bay; 2 rows of terracotta panels with putti between stair-hall and landing windows; Ruabon brick pilaster supporting a stone heraldic beast to each side of a 3-light mullioned and transomed upper storey right of porch, above porch and to left bay; crenellated parapet left of porch-bay; a cartouche on each gable; finials; timber-framed recessed dormer over landing; shaped Ruabon brick chimneys. The west garden front has a 7-sided bay window to the front with ornate leaded stained glass above the stone transom; an oak-framed tiled-roofed verandah adjoins the bay window; a 4-light mullioned and transomed window under a gable. The service wing and rear are similar in expression, but simpler. The right side has a shaped chimney to the front room expressed as a substantial projecting feature. INTERIOR: the hall and stair-hall, divided by a screen of 3 round arches have an oak dado and an ornate fireplace and overmantel. The right front room has an oak dado, tiled fireplace in ornate surround with panelled overmantel in basket-arched recess with pilasters; a carved bronze ornate fireplace and overmantel, panelled bay window alcove, plaster foliar-and-cupid frieze and foliar patterned plaster ceiling. The oak open-well closed-string stair has newels, barley-sugar-on-vase balusters and heavy moulded rails. The landing has dado-rail and screen of 2 basket arches on fluted square classical posts. The rear right room has a massive sandstone fireplace with carved birds to each side of smoke-hood, boarded dado and 3 arch-braced trusses. Butted mouldings to door stiles and rails; a simple rear stair. A good example of a later C19 opulent suburban house. Building vacant at time of survey (June 1991). Listing NGR: SJ4019067877