| Description | Beech Lawn, Warmfield cum Heath.
'Large house. Early mid C18, c1770, early C19 and early C20. Hammer dressed stone with ashlar dressings, some C19 brick to rear range, stone slate roofs. T shaped on plan: small C18 cottage with added range c1770 at right angles fronting the Common with added cells to either end early C19. 2 storeys with attics to rear range. South front: originally 3 symmetrical bays. Ashlar plinth and band. Doorway has architrave, pulvinated frieze and triangular pediment with, above, sash window in plain raised surround; flanking bays have original full height canted bays with a sash window to each floor. Set back, added bays have to each side an early C20 canted bay window with sash to each face, tripartite lead lean to roof; 1st floor has, to left, 2 sash windows with lintels and projecting sills and, to right, plain stone plaque. The whole under one hipped roof, the full height canted bays have tripartite hip to ridge. 4 stacks set to rear roof pitch.
Rear: from left, C20 3 bay extension; wing breaks forward at right angles with brick gable stack; set back, to right, house has doorway with monolithic jambs and overlight, 2 sash windows above. Right hand return of house has added apsidal glazed conservatory with above segmental tripartite curved glazed sash window. Wing has 3 bays of windows with to right a former doorway (blocked) with chamfered surround to right, fronts garden; 2 ridge stacks. Left hand return of house has 3 bays of sash windows, 15 pane to ground floor (dining room), 12 pane to 1st floor.
Wing: set back, and fronting yard, has C19 brick bay with segmental arched window to each floor, with to right and set forward 3 bays of sash windows.
Interior: entrance hall has open well staircase with paired finely turned balusters and ramped handrail. To left, sitting room with elliptical arched recess, the architrave decorated with chain motif; marble fireplace, moulded dado rail and cornice. To right, double drawing room has fine Edwardian decoration, each room having carved fireplace with fluted Greek Ionic pilasters and cast iron gates, wide linking double doors. Finely decorated Regency dining room, windows, doorways and sideboard recesses flanking fireplace all with similar architraves; marble fireplace with cast iron grate; cornice decorated with Greek key ornament. Room to rear of entrance hall, part of earlier cottage, has C18 fireplace with architrave, fluted frieze and dentil cornice flanked by original fitted mahogany drawers and bookcase. Dining chamber has marble fireplace which pulls forward on wheels allowing access to chimney for sweeping. Drawing room chamber has canted plaster ceiling. Back stair has simple stick balusters leading down to kitchen'.
(English Heritage listed building description. Date listed 11/04/1973. http://list.english heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1135546. Web site accessed 03/02/2014).
WYAAS archives holds a copy of Wakefield MDC (Planning/Conservation) records relating to Beech Lawn. This includes a brief description and a photocopy of a photographic print depicting the front of the house. Probably from the late 1970s (Wakefield MDC. Undated). The text suggest that the 18th century front may conceal an older building. |