Padworth House Padworth, England

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

PADWORTH Su 66 NN 4/7 Padworth House 25,lO.51

GV II*

House, now college. Circa 1769 by John Hobcraft encasing a C17 house. Stucco, plat bands at cill levels, 3 centre bays project slightly with triangular pediment over; moulded cornice and parapet to hipped slate roof with 4 stacks. Flanking wings slightly set back, of stucco with plat bands at cill levels, parapets, hipped slate roofs that to left with 2 stacks, that to right with 2 stacks and 3 C19 gabled dormers. 3 storey, 7 bay block with 2 storey, 4 bay wing to left and 2 storeys and attic, 4 bay wing to right. Glazing bar sashes, centre window on first floor with moulded architrave and brackets supporting cornice above. 2 central glazed doors and Doric porch with 2 unfluted columns and pilasters, entablature with triglyphs, guttae and paterae, and triangular pedi- ment. Wing to left has half glazed door in third bay from left with cornice and radial fanlight; wing to right has doorway in left hand bay and C19 tri- partite sash in third bay from right. North front: central block of 9 bays, 3 centre bays slightly projecting with triangular pediment over; first floor central window with architrave and brackets supporting cornice above. Central half glazed doors and doorcase with Ionic half columns supporting segmental pediment. Flanking 2 storey, 3 bay wings set back slightly, that to left with C19 gabled dormer. Of wall with window remain in east end. Interior: much good plasterwork by Joseph Rose. Entrance Hall: double height space, staircase with wrought iron balustrade around 3 walls; groin vaulted 3 bay arched arcades on each floor to north with Doric columns on ground floor and columns with 'Adamesque' capitals on first floor; plasterwork includes moulded ceiling, niches to east and west, wall panels and swags and medallions in spandrels of arches. Drawing room: pelmets, C18 fireplace and good moulded ceiling. Dining room, now ballroom: pelmets, C19 three bay Doric arcade to west. Library: 2 C18 pedimented bookcases. Office: Gothick fireplace and overmantel with painted scenes from the Gothick fishing lodge (see 4/6) Saloon, now dining room: 2 arched niches to east are C19 additions. Kitchen: some C17 panelling remains as do som C17 moulded beams in other rooms to east. BOE, Berkshire, p. 191; Berkshire Architectural Guide, Betjeman and Piper; Murray, 1949, p. 137; Country Life, Vol. Lii, pp. 342-348, 372-378, 414-417 (including plan and eleva- tion).

Listing NGR: SU6132666253