| Description | Heathcote House is a 3 storey, Grade II* Listed, Classical villa built in 1906 8 by E. Lutyens for Ernest Hemingway, a Bradford merchant. It is situated within formal gardens, also designed by E. Lutyen along with G. Jekyll (see PRN 6891), which are a Grade II Registered Park and Garden.
The house has a 3 storey central block of 3 bays to both the north and south, with a hipped roof. In addition single bay sections are located either side (projecting forward one bay on the north and south) of 2 storeys with separate hipped roofs, and there are single bay wings beyond these on the north side of one storey with separate hipped roofs. The house is constructed in orange coloured ashlar and red Roman pantiles. It is Classical in style and composed much in the manner of Mansart, but ostensibly Palladian and with a Doric order on the ground storey of the garden front (with pairs of fluted columns recessed in face of wings) from Sanmichele. The main front features complex fenestration including round headed, segmental headed and straight headed architectural components, with different mouldings and panels. Also present are central double swag and blind roundels on the south front. Very tall idiosyncratic chimneys in the form of banded doorways (some open), of 3 tiers to the pair on east and west sides and one tier over the centre.
The interior of the house has as its principal features: a vestibule with barrel vaulting and stone panelling, and a staircase with stone arches, carved tympana, fluted Ionic pilasters and columns, black marble steps and ironwork balustrade of later 18th century type. The main central south room is divided into three by Tuscan columns of green Siberian marble and with moulded plaster ceiling; the former billiard room in north west part of the building is now partitioned but retains its domical vault and walnut panelling, rising to enclose three Venetian windows.
There are a number of other contemporary buildings and architectural features associated with Heathcote House which are also Listed Grade II*. These include the courtyard and entrance walls to the north of the house, a pair of cottages, outbuildings, terrace (with steps and fountains) and two apses on the boundary walls either side of the main house (see PRNs 9766 – 9773 for further details).
(Text edited from English Heritage’s LBO description)
House built 1906 8 by Edwin Lutyens. Guiseley sandstone with Morley ashlar dressings, red Roman pantile roofs. Classical villa with strong Italianate influences from the work of San Micheli, compositional influences from Francois Mansart, and Lutyens' own inventiveness.
In 2014 English Heritage were asked to assess Heathcote for upgrading from Grade II* to Grade I as the house is a pivotal building in the work of the renowned architect Edwin Lutyens, marking a move from a vernacular to a classical idiom. English Heritage made a site visit on 24/01/2014 and below is a copy of their subsequent consultation report. A decision regarding the building's listing upgrade is (as of 01/05/2014) still pending.
(NB: at the same of visiting the house English Heritage also assessed a number of the associated outbuildings and garden features – many of which are listed in their own right – see PRNs 9767, 9766, 9768, 9769, 9771, 9772, 9773, 13541, 13542)
Heathcote is a symmetrical house with a three storey central block of three bays with hipped roof, flanked by single bay, two storey pavilions with separate hipped roofs projecting forward one bay on both north and south sides. Partial basement on east side of house. |