Building record 15571 - Thelwall Heys

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1380268 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

House , formerly house and offices. Dated 1864, with C20 alterations. By Alfred Waterhouse, architect for W. Long. Gothic Revival style. Red-brown brick with yellow and blue brick banding and decoration, ashlar sandstone dressings, and steeply pitched slated roofs with truncated ridge and gable stacks.

PLAN: Asymmetrical form, the main range aligned north-west - south east, with lower attached range extending north-eastwards from entrance front, and single storey service court extending from north-west end.

FRONT ( north-east) ELEVATION: Asymmetrical facade, of 2 storeys with attics. Off centre two-storeyed entrance porch, possibly truncated, with shallow arched head to ashlar surround, and vertically-planked door with elaborate strap hinges. First floor 2-light window with shallow parapet above. To left, banded gable with projecting tapered chimney breast incorporating ashlar panel with the date 1864 and with a truncated stack above .To the right, glazed entrance passage with shallow lead -covered lean-to roof. Above, and set back, tall 3-light mullion and transom stair window with leaded glazing. Further right, stepped 2 storey wing advances north-eastwards, with canted oriel to inner face of taller part. Lower part of wing has gabled centre bay to inner face , with paired sash windows, and blind twin arches to apex with polychrome brick decoration. Hipped end to wing, with slightly advanced windows beneath hipped gablet.

REAR ELEVATION: Canted 2 storeyed bay window to centre, with faceted pitched roof and iron finial. Narrow gable to right-hand end, and between, narrow doorway beneath lean-to roof Decorative coloured brick bands at window head and cill levels, with diaper- work decoration between the bands at first floor level. Left-hand end with stacked paired single light windows. The majority of window frames are undivided or 2 pane sashes.

INTERIOR: Entrance passage with decorative leaded lights and encaustic patterned floor tiling. Stair hall with pitch-pine dogleg stair with carved newels , moulded handrails and diagonally-braced intermediate rails. Secondary stairs with turned balusters. Other contemporary features include hearths to some principal rooms, deeply- moulded skirting, architraves and plaster cornices, decorative wall-tiling and 4-panel doors.

An early domestic commission by an architect of national stature, dated 1864, which retains much of its high quality interior, and much characteristic exterior detail.
Source: Cunningham. C. and Waterhouse. P. 'Alfred Waterhouse 1830-1905. Biography of a practice ' 1992.