The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, Reading, West Berkshire

Transcription

1 The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, Reading, West Berkshire Building Recording For Dr James D Hull by Sean Wallis Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code GHB 09/79 September 2009

2 Summary Site name: The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, Reading, West Berkshire Grid reference: SU Site activity: Building Recording Date and duration of project: 12th August 2009 Project manager: Steve Ford Site code: GHB 09/79 Summary of results: The appraisal has established that, although the earliest parts of the surviving house may date from the mid-late 18th century, there have been numerous extensions from the late 18th century onwards, which have significantly affected the historic fabric of the original building. The majority of the proposed re-development will affect elements of the house dating from the second half of the 19th century onwards. However, the removal of the main staircase, and structural work necessary to create a new entrance hall and formal dining hall will have a considerable impact upon parts of the house dating from at least the late 18th century. Nevertheless, it should be noted that these parts of the house have already been substantially altered since their original construction. Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with West Berkshire Museum in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford Steve Preston i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR Tel. (0118) ; Fax (0118) ; tvas@tvas.co.uk; website :

3 The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, Reading, West Berkshire Building Recording by Sean Wallis Report 09/79 Introduction This report documents the results of building recording at the Grotto House, Lower Basildon, Reading, West Berkshire (SU ) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Mr Martin Gray of Living Architects Ltd, 14 Linen House, 253 Kilburn Lane, London, W10 4BQ, on behalf of Dr James D Hull. Drawings are currently being prepared to reinstate this Grade II Listed Building as a house. The building has been used as a college and offices since the early 1950s, and the development proposals will therefore include refurbishment and restoration of the existing house, along with some elements of extension. As a result, a historical appraisal of the building has been requested, so that an assessment can be made of the important features and historic fabric of the building with regard to what can be removed and what should be retained. This is in accordance with the Department of the Environment s Planning Policy Guidance, Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG ), and West Berkshire Council s policies on historic buildings. The fieldwork was undertaken by Sean Wallis on 12th August 2009 and the site code is GHB 09/79. The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited with West Berkshire Museum and a copy sent to the National Monuments Record in due course. Location, topography and geology The site is located approximately 1km north-west of Lower Basildon, and is accessed from the A329. The house is set within its own grounds, which slope down towards the north-east where they meet the river Thames (Fig. 2). The house is situated at approximately 47m above Ordnance Datum and according to the British Geological Survey the underlying geology consists of Middle Chalk (BGS 1946). Historical Background The earliest parts of the surviving house are believed to date from the 18th century, although numerous alterations and extensions over the years have made it difficult to establish the exact date of the different 1

4 elements. However, it is possible to glean some idea of the development of the structure from various records, including historical maps, paintings and photographs. It is thought that the original grotto, consisting of an elaborate shell room with a separate rock chamber, was built in around 1720 for Lady Fane, who lived at the great house at Basildon Park. A small house, adjoining the grotto, was built by her husband Charles for her retirement and pleasure. The Basildon Estate was acquired by the Sykes family in 1771, who demolished the Fanes manor house at Basildon Park, replacing it with a new grand house, designed by John Carr, which is now owned by the National Trust. It is highly likely that the Sykes family was responsible for the dismantling of the shell and rock grotto, as these features had become less fashionable towards the end of the 18th century. The Sykes also carried out substantial alterations to the adjoining house, including the addition of two new wings, and the building was let to a number of different tenants in the ensuring years (Pheasant 2003). The original house, with its new wings, is clearly shown on the 1809 Enclosure Map (Fig. 3), which is the earliest available map to show the site in detail. By the time the Tithe Map was produced in 1840 (Fig. 4), both wings appear to have been modified, and the existing recessed southwest facing façade is shown for the first time. It also appears that the bay windows on the north-east facing elevation of the original house were built at some point between 1809 and The north-west wing of the building also seems to have been extended slightly. On the death of Reverend William Sykes in 1875, the house was bought by Arthur Smith JP, who had been a tenant for a number of years previously, and subsequently became High Sheriff of the County of Berkshire. The house was significantly extended between 1843 and the time of the First Edition Ordnance Survey of 1877 (Fig. 5), possibly to reflect the needs of a large family and their accompanying retinue of servants. Indeed, the 1871 census records over twenty people living in the house. The western part of the house was greatly extended, and another extension, known as the Billiard Room, was built to the north of the east wing, which later had a conservatory built above it (Pheasant 2003). The First Edition Ordnance Survey also shows a new stone entrance porch in the south-west facing elevation. The enlarged house is well illustrated by two surviving photographs, which are believed to date from the 1880s (Pls 1 and 2). There are a few changes evident on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey of 1899 (Fig. 6), mostly on the south-east facing elevation. The Oval room, later truncated, is clearly shown, suggesting that it may have been built at some point after The map also shows a possible new conservatory between the Billiard Room and the oldest part of the house. The 1912 Ordnance Survey (Fig. 7) is problematic as it seems to suggest that the Billiard room had been replaced by a conservatory after 1899, and the curved frontage of the Oval Room is not 2

5 shown. This seems to contradict a surviving photograph taken shortly before the Second World War (Plate 3), which show the Billiard Room and the Oval Room in their original form. The 1912 map also suggests that a new extension or adjoining outbuilding was constructed along the north-west facing elevation of the house. However, it is not clear how this would have affected the existing parts of the house in this area. In 1948 the house was purchased by Major Reynolds, who carried out major refurbishments. By the time the property was put on the market again, in 1951, the Billiard Room had been demolished and replaced by a loggia and patio, whilst the Oval Room had been truncated and a new south-east facing wall built (Pheasant 2003). The Institute of Park and Recreation Administration bought the house in the early 1950s and moved their offices and college there. It was occupied by them and their successor organizations until a couple of years ago, when it was purchased by the present owner. During the ensuing years a number of internal alterations were carried out to enable the house to be successfully utilized by the Institute in its new role. One major change since the 1950s was the demolition of the north-west part of the building. This area was occupied by a sunken garden for a time, as shown on the Ordnance Survey map for (Fig. 8; Pl. 4), prior to a new extension being built in 1995 (Pheasant 2003). Methodology The building survey was carried out in accordance with guidelines set out by the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments (RCHM(E) 1991), with particular attention only given to those parts of the building which will be altered by the proposed development. The current plans were prepared in July 2009, although it should be stressed that they have not yet been finalized. Indeed, they may have to be further amended following the submission of this report to the conservation officer at West Berkshire Council, depending on the decision of the officer. Description Exterior The house is wholly constructed in red brick, although these are obscured by the fact that the entire building has been whitewashed. It is not clear if the brickwork would have originally have been exposed, although an engraving dated 1810 (Pl. 5) suggests that the building was whitewashed from a relatively early date. The presence of the whitewash finish means that it is impossible to tell whether any decorative motifs may have been 3

6 incorporated into the brickwork, particularly around the windows and doors. Brick string courses are visible in certain places, although once again these have been fully whitewashed. The roof is entirely covered with grey slates, although those above the 1990s extension are noticeably different in colour and form. A number of major changes are proposed which will affect the exterior appearance of the house. A new swimming pool and associated facilities are to be built on the ground floor level, immediately adjacent to the north-west facing elevation of the house, along with a new entrance hall. The first floor of this new extension will consist of two bedrooms with a roof terrace above the swimming pool. This will necessitate the demolition of an existing single-storey extension, which currently houses a larder, bathroom, and fuse-box room. Whilst it is possible that this extension may date from the mid 19th century, it has already been substantially altered during the 20th century. Likewise, the north-west facing elevation of the main house has been subject to much alteration over the years, most notably by the construction of the 1990s extension, which is clearly visible due to the difference in the brick bond used, and its height. The earliest part of this elevation also shows evidence of alteration, and a low brick-built arch was noted immediately north of the current entrance. It is possible that this may have been an original entrance, which may have been made redundant when the extension which first appears on the 1912 Ordnance Survey was built. This extension was subsequently demolished in the 20th century. The area immediately east of the proposed swimming pool is currently on a slope, but is to be terraced. The central part of the north-east facing elevation will not be significantly affected by the proposed works, although a new terrace will be laid out along this side of the house, complete with a balustrade. The loggia in the south-east corner of the house, which was built in the 1940s or 1950s, is to be demolished and replaced by a new two-storey extension. The modern steel fire escape will also be removed. This new extension will consist of a large ground floor reception room, with a conservatory, balcony, hallway and lobby at first floor level. The proposed building work will also affect the south-east facing elevation of the house as it is planned to demolish the existing external wall of the eastern wing, and re-instate the Oval Room to its original size. An enlarged bedroom will occupy the first floor above the extended Oval room. These alterations will therefore mostly affect elements of the house which date from the mid 20th century. The only part of the earlier phase of the house to be affected will be the large arched window in the south-east facing elevation, which will be converted into a doorway. However this feature is not itself original, and probably dates from the later 19th 4

7 century, when the area between the main part of the house and the, now demolished, Billiard Room was occupied by a conservatory. The present porched front door in the south-west facing elevation is to be removed, along with two modern fire-doors. The porched entrance dates from the mid 20th century, and it is believed that the eagle motif above the door may be linked to the fact that American servicemen were billeted at the house during the Second World War. It is proposed to construct a new front door, along with a long porch supported by pillars, in the recessed part of the elevation. This new door will be located slightly north of the 19th century porched entrance, which was demolished in the 20th century, and will result in the removal of one of the ground floor windows, which may date from the late 18th to mid 19th century. The building work will also necessitate the removal of 20thcentury drainpipes. A new first floor window and balcony are planned for the southern end of the elevation, along with a new window beneath it on the ground floor. The new window and balcony will be a re-instatement of a short-lived feature, believed to date from the late 19th to early 20th century, of which only one photograph is known to exist (Pl. 6). Interior As can be gathered from the relatively complex history of the house, the interior of the property has undergone significant alterations since its original construction, reflecting its change in use over the years from a residential dwelling to its recent role as a college and offices. As it is now planned to convert the house back to its earlier function as a family home, a large amount of refurbishment work will be required. A brief description of the entire house will be outlined below, although special attention will be paid to those parts of the property which will be most affected by the proposed redevelopment. Only major structural changes are highlighted in this report, and it should be borne in mind that additional building work relating to the updating of the existing heating and electrical systems throughout the house may be required. However, the exact details of this work have not yet been finalized. Much of the original fabric of the building has been obscured by modern plasterboard and wallpaper, making dating of the various rooms problematic. However, a broad idea of the date of individual rooms and features can be gleaned from the historic map evidence. Basement The house has quite an extensive network of cellars, the earliest of which date from at least the late 18th century. Although these basements are to be refurbished, the current plans for the building dated July 2009 do not suggest 5

8 that these areas are to be significantly altered by the proposed development. As a result, the basements were not recorded in detail during this appraisal. Ground Floor (Fig. 9) Whilst the property is vacant, the main point of access is the entrance in the north-west facing elevation. This leads into a main corridor (G1), which runs approximately half the length of the house, with a number of rooms accessible on either side. All the modern fire-doors along the corridor are to be removed. The first room on the north side of the corridor is the main kitchen (G2) which is fully tiled and fitted out with modern appliances. A doorway to the west leads into the larder (G3), which is actually within the far western extension. This extension is to be completely demolished to make way for the new swimming pool and associated rooms. Although it is possible that the extension may date from the later part of the 19th century, it has undoubtedly been altered in the ensuing years. The next room along from the kitchen is the former post-room (G5), the ceiling of which has partially collapsed due to water damage from the floor above. The walls of the room are wall-papered. It is proposed to knock through the wall between the kitchen and post-room to create a large family day room. However, it is not clear from the architects plans whether the chimney breast is also to be removed: it is shown as being retained on the first floor. The existing doors and windows of rooms G2 and G5 are to be retained, with an additional window onto the corridor and a new doorway into the present room G9 being created. These alterations will only affect elements of the house dating from the mid to late 19th century onwards. The next feature along the northern side of the corridor is a stairwell with stairs leading to the basement and first floor. Unfortunately, access to the basement could not be gained from these stairs during the site visit. The stairs will not be significantly altered during the proposed works. Immediately east of the stairwell is the doorway into room G8, which is currently filled with tables and chairs, and was presumably formerly a lounge area. A further doorway leads into room G9, which is subdivided into separate kitchen and parlour areas. The final room on the northern side of corridor G1 was formerly used as an IT and communications centre for the offices (G11). It is proposed to demolish the walls between rooms G8, G9 and G11 to create a large new kitchen. A new doorway will link the new kitchen to the present room G5, whilst a new window and doorway into the corridor will be created. All of these modifications will only affect parts of the structure dating from the mid to late 19th century onwards. 6

9 The first room encountered on the southern side of corridor G1 is room G4, which was formerly the library. Immediately east of this room is a small lobby (G6) and corridor (G7) which lead to one of the modern fire doors. The proposals indicate that the eastern partition wall of room G4 will be demolished to create a large room which in turn will be subdivided to create a new gym and games room. A lift will be installed within the new gym, although access to it will be from the corridor. The modern fire door will be removed and a new window inserted slightly west of it. The existing windows in the western wall of room G4 will be replaced by doorways, which will lead into the proposed new extension. These alterations will only affect the 1990s extension. The next room along the southern side of the corridor is office G10. This is separated from rooms G13 and G14, both currently used as toilets, by a thin partition wall. A new doorway through this partition wall will provide access from room G10 into room G13. It is proposed to turn room G10 into a bar, with toilets and cloakrooms at its northern end necessitating new partition walls. A new doorway will provide access to the bar from the proposed games room (currently corridor G7). Although this part of the house possibly dates to the early 19th century, a recess in room G10 suggests that this new door will be in the same position as an earlier door or window, which was probably blocked up when the 1990s extension was built. The far eastern end of corridor G1 is within the older part of the house, which possibly dates from the late 18th century, with steps leading up to into a lobby area (G16) and the main staircase. Another staircase on the north side of the corridor leads to the basement, whilst a corridor to the south (G12) provides access to toilets G13 and G14, and a modern fire door. Room G14 will remain in use as a toilet and cloakroom, albeit modernized, whilst room G13 will be converted into a cloakroom. A new doorway will provide access from room G13 into room G10, which is to become a bar. One of the proposals is to shift the existing doorway from corridor G12 into room G13. This would necessitate the demolition of a section of wall which could potentially be late 18th century in date. Room G15 can be accessed from corridor G12, lobby G16 and room G20, although the doorway to the latter is currently blocked. This room has full height timber paneling, and is probably part of the late 18th century house. During the 19th century, the main front door with its stone porch opened into this room, which was divided to form a hallway and separate library. The door was roughly in the position of the current eastern window, although the fact that no trace of the door, or any earlier subdivision of the room, is visible suggests that the panelling was substantially replaced when the original front door went out of use in the 20th century. The fireplace in the northern wall is thought to date from the 18th century, and although it was certainly described as 7

10 such when the building was listed in the 1960s, it could be later in date. It is proposed to demolish the wall between this room and lobby G16, along with that between room G15 and corridor G12, to create a large new entrance hall. A new porched front door will replace the room s central window. All of these proposed alterations will impact significantly upon 18th-century elements of the building, particularly the removal of the northern wall of room G15, which is likely to be part of the original house. Lobby G16 is within the earliest part of the house, and may have originally been part of a larger room G17. This is based on the fact that the wall between the two does not appear ever to have been an external wall. Although the pillars in the lobby are clearly later in date, it is possible that the stairs may be late 18th century in date and may have originally been wider than at present. As part of the re-development it is proposed to replace this staircase with a new central one linking the ground floor to the second floor. Room G17 is also part of the 18th century house, although it is likely that the bay windows are early 19th-century in date. The fireplace in the room, thought to be 18th-century in date, appears to have been removed recently, possibly for safekeeping. It seems likely that the alcoves on either side of the room are later additions, and may have been inserted when the bay windows were built. Two blocked windows are visible externally, on the north-east facing elevation, and it possible that these may have been made redundant when the bay windows were inserted, and the walls around the alcoves thickened. The large arched window in the eastern wall of the room is clearly a later addition, and was probably originally a door leading to the small conservatory shown in late 19th century photographs. It is proposed to re-instate this feature as a doorway, which will lead into a new reception room. It is also planned to create a new doorway in the south wall, to provide a second entrance to the proposed entrance hall. These changes are unlikely to impact on any 18th century elements of the house. A doorway leads from lobby G16 into the loggia, which is subdivided into two offices (G18 and G19). The doorway has a circular arched fanlight, very similar to that above the entrance from room G18 into room G20, indicating that it may have originally been an external doorway or window. The loggia, which dates from the mid 20th century, is to be demolished to make way for a new reception room. As well as its arched fanlight, the doorway leading from room G18 into the Octagonal Room (G20) still has shutters, indicating that it was originally a window. The room is very ornate, with a decorated ceiling and medallions on the walls depicting the Muses. It has been noted that the style of the room is very similar to elements seen in the great house at Basildon Park, designed by John Carr, and is therefore likely to date from the late 18th century. This is further supported by the fireplace which also appears to be late 18th century in date. No major changes are proposed for this room. 8

11 A doorway from the Octagonal Room leads into a small entrance lobby (G21), which in turn leads into the Oval Room (G22). The lobby will be affected by the creation of a new front door in room G15, with the existing door being converted into a window. Early photographs show that there was a window in this position in the late 19th century. Although this part of the house is late 18th-century in date, the proposed changes within the lobby area will only affect parts of the structure which were previously modified in the mid 20th century. Access from the lobby into the Oval Room (G22) is through a curved door. The room probably dates from at least the late 19th century, and although it was halved in size during the mid 20th century it still has what remains of its original cornice and decorated ceiling. One of the most unusual features is the hand painted Chinese wallpaper which decorates the western part of the room. This is believed to be 18th-century in date, which may indicate that an existing room was modified in the second half of the 19th century. The east wall of the room dates from the mid 20th-century building work. As part of the proposals it is planned to restore the room to its former size. Another curved door originally led into the loggia, via a small lobby (G23). The doorway from the lobby to the loggia is currently not used, but the arch visible within room G19 suggests that the opening was originally much larger, and may have been a similar door or window to that noted in room G17. First Floor (Fig. 10) The staircase from the ground floor corridor (G1) leads to a first floor corridor (F3) from which access can be gained to a number of rooms at the western end of the building. As with the ground floor, all the modern fire doors along the corridor are to be removed. A large room at the far western end of the corridor has been divided into two offices (F1 and F2) by a modern partition wall. Immediately east is another office (F4), the ceiling of which has been badly damaged by water ingress from above. As part of the re-development of the building, a new two storey extension will be built at the western end of the building, with the creation of two new en-suite bedrooms and a roof terrace at first-floor level. Access to the extension will be created by extending corridor F3 westwards, through the present room F2, and creating a new opening in the existing western wall of the house. The present four windows in the north-west facing elevation will be blocked up. Rooms F1, F2 and F4 will be linked by the insertion of two new doors to create a bedroom, complete with en-suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe. A small part of room F1 will become a storage cupboard opening onto the newly extended corridor. All these alterations will affect elements of the house dating from the mid 19th century or later. On the south side of corridor F3, a large room has been subdivided into two offices (F5 and F6). As part of the proposed development, the two windows in the north-west wall will be blocked up, and the room will be 9

12 converted into a bedroom, with en-suite bathroom. The room will also contain the en-suite bathroom for another bedroom to the east, and a small storage room and lift opening onto the corridor. The door to the storage room will be in the same position as a window which was blocked up following the construction of the 1990s extension. The staircase immediately adjacent to room F5, which was also built in 1995, will be substantially remodelled. Most of these modifications will affect elements of the 1990s extension, although there will be some impact on the wall between rooms F5 and F6, and corridor F3, which probably dates from the second half of the 19th century. This was an external wall for much of the 20th century, until the 1990s extension was built. The creation of a new doorway in the south-east wall of room F5, will provide access from a new bedroom, currently occupied by office F9, and its en-suite bathroom. This will affect part of the house which may date from the mid 19th century. The staircase to the ground floor, on the north side of the corridor, will not be significantly altered, although the wall of the room to the north of the staircase (F7), which was previously used for photocopying, will be demolished to create a new landing. This wall is likely to date from the late 19th century. The final two rooms on the north side of the corridor (office F8 and toilet F10) are to be converted into the dressing room and en-suite bathroom for the proposed bedroom to the east (room F20). This will require the demolition of the north-west and north-east walls of toilet F10 and the creation of a new doorway between room F8 and F20. These works will impact upon parts of the house which may date to the late 18th century and mid 19th century. At the east end of corridor F3 an arched opening provides access to the main staircase and landing F11. At the east end of the landing is room F19, formerly used as an office, which in turn provides access to the roof terrace above the loggia. As part of the proposed development, the existing staircase will be replaced, and the landing area extended into room F19. This will result in alterations to a number of structural elements of the house dating from the late 18th century onwards, including the removal of a probable 19th century fireplace in room F19. A new opening in the south-east wall of room F19 will provide access to the extension which will be built, following the demolition of the 20th-century loggia. The new extension will comprise two hallways, a covered balcony, and a large conservatory at first floor level, with access to be provided from the extension to the master bedrooms. A new opening from the extension into room F20 will result in the removal of a small section of wall which may date to the late 18th century. However, the entrance from the new conservatory into room F17 will be part of the new eastern extension, to be built above the enlarged octagonal room below. Another arched opening to the south of landing F11 leads to a further small landing and a staircase to the second floor. This small landing provides access to rooms F12, F13 and F14. Room F12 appears to have been 10

13 enlarged slightly to the north at some point, as evidenced by the surviving cornice in this part of the room, which is approximately 1m from the wall. The room north-west and south-west walls of the room are timber paneled, and there is a fireplace in the north-west corner which probably dates to the 19th century. A door in the southeast wall has been sealed up, presumably when the adjoining room F13 was converted into a bathroom. Although the existing entrance to room F12 will be blocked up as part of the proposed building work, many of the original elements are likely to be retained when the room is converted into an en-suite bathroom, dressing area and wardrobe. The doorway into room F13 will be re-instated, with rooms F13 and F14 being turned into a new bedroom. Room F14 currently has a modern partition wall, which has been put up to create a corridor into the eastern end of the house. This will be removed to restore the room to its original size. Another sealed doorway, which previously provided access into room F13, will be re-instated. The walls of the original room F14 are fully timber paneled. The doorway leading eastward from room F14 into corridor F16 will be blocked up when the new bedroom is created. This is the only older element of the house which will be significantly affected by the conversion of rooms F12, F13 and F14 into a new bedroom and associated facilities. The 20th-century bathroom in room F13 will be removed. Rooms F15 and F17, at the eastern end of the house, are presently accessible via corridor F16, and through a fire-door to the roof terrace above the loggia. As part of the proposed works, the corridor and F15 will be converted into a new wardrobe and en-suite bathroom for the eastern bedroom which will be created by extending room F17. Although this part of the house may date from the late 18th century, it appears to have been subjected to considerable alteration in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The fire-place in room F17 appears to have been removed quite recently, presumably for safe-keeping. The most significant of these alterations was the demolition of part of room F17 in the mid 20th century. It is proposed to restore this room to its original size, and construct a new balcony in its south-west wall. This will be a re-instatement of a short-lived feature which existed in the late 19th or early 20th century. The only changes which will impact significantly on older elements of the house will be the demolition of a section of the wall to the north of the chimney breast in room F17, the creation of a new doorway from room F15 to the proposed north-east extension, and the blocking up of the doorway which currently connects corridor F16 and room F14. Many of the original features of this part of the building will be retained, including the skylight above corridor F16. A staircase from landing F11 leads to the large office F20. This room was originally linked to room F19, but the doorway has been blocked at some time in the past. The existing entrance to room F19 is to be blocked 11

14 when it is converted into a bedroom. New openings will be made in the north-west and south-east walls of the room, connecting it to the proposed north-east extension and its associated dressing room and en-suite bathroom. As mentioned above, these will have some impact upon parts of the building which could date from the late 18th century. Second Floor (Fig. 11) The second floor of the house was, until recently, used for offices and student accommodation. The proposed development will create a new self-contained apartment for employees, along with playrooms for the family s children. There are currently two staircases providing access to the second floor from the first floor of the house. The staircase in the older, eastern, part of the house is to be refurbished, but not significantly altered. The western staircase, within the 1990s extension, will be completely re-modelled. The eastern staircase currently provides access to rooms S1 and S3, via a small landing (S11). The entrance to room S3 is to be blocked up, and room S1 is to become the bedroom for the new employee apartment. This room has a low ceiling, and a blocked up fireplace in one corner. Although the room itself may date from the late 18th century, it has obviously been subject to a number of alterations in the 19th and 20th centuries. This room will not be significantly affected by the proposed works. The adjoining 20th century bathroom (S2) is to be removed, and this room will now become part of a corridor connecting the bedroom to the new sitting room, bathroom and study. Room S3 is very similar to room S1, and also has a blocked up fireplace in one corner. New partition walls will sub-divide the room into a bathroom, study and corridor. These modifications will not significantly affect the historic fabric of the room. The present entrance, via steps, from room S3 into room S4 is to be retained. This room dates from at least the mid 19th century, and still contains a late 19th-century fireplace in one of its corners. The room itself will not be substantially affected by the proposed works, although the partition wall between room S4 and kitchen S5 will be demolished. This kitchen dates from the late 20th century, as do the partition walls which separate it from a small cupboard and lobby area to the west. All these walls will be removed, and rooms S4 and S5 will be converted into an open plan sitting room and kitchen-diner. None of these changes will significantly affect the 19th-century elements of the rooms, although it is proposed to remove a small section of the wall to the north of the fireplace in room S4. This will create a doorway into the new entrance lobby of the 1990s extension. The remaining area within the extension (rooms S6 and S7) will be divided into two playrooms, by the construction of new partition walls. 12

15 Access to the roof-space is possible from room S7. Only the roof-space of the part of the house dating from the second half of the 19th century could be recorded during the site visit. The area is divided into a number of separate rooms, at least one of which was previously used for servants quarters, as evidenced by a surviving late 19th-century fireplace. Although the roof-space area is to be refurbished, no major changes are planned which will affect the historic fabric of the house. Roof Although some changes to the current roof are anticipated as a result of the various new extensions being built, the existing roof will only be affected by the insertion of two new skylights. Conclusion This report has documented the development of the Grotto House from its initial inception as a relatively small structure in the mid to late 18th century, to its current incarnation as a large mansion. The exact phasing of the various parts of the house is problematic due to the fact that it has undergone so many changes over the years, with various extensions being built and subsequently demolished. However, it seems that the basic structure of the earliest part of the house, which probably dates from the mid-late 18th century, has survived quite well, albeit with later alterations, despite the numerous changes to the west and east wings. It is proposed to substantially re-develop the house, to make it suitable as a modern family residence. The majority of the building work required will only affect those elements of the house dating from the mid 19th century onwards, which have already been subject to numerous alterations and modernizations over the years. However, the creation of an entrance hall and formal dining room at ground floor level, along with the construction of a new central staircase, will have a major effect on the earliest parts of the house. The most significant changes will be the removal of the existing main staircase, parts of which may date from the late 18th century, although it has been modified in the past. The removal of the wall between the current rooms G15 and G16, to create a new entrance hall, will have a considerable impact of the structural fabric on the late 18thcentury house, as this wall may have originally been the external wall of the earliest phase of the house. However, even this can be seen to have been modified significantly in the past when the later wings were added to the original house. References BGS, 1946, British Geological Survey, 1:50000, Sheet 268, Drift Edition, Keyworth EH, 2006, Understanding Historic Buildings, English Heritage, London 13

16 Pheasant, P, 2003, The Grotto House, Toil and leisure in a modest country house in Berkshire, Lower Basildon PPG15, 1994, Planning and the historic environment, Dept Environment Planning Policy Guidance 15, HMSO RCHM(E), 1991, Recording Historic Buildings : a descriptive specification, 3rd edn, Roy Comm Hist Monuments (England), London 14

17 APPENDIX 1: Photographic Catalogue A.Colour prints No. Description 1 Exterior, general view, looking south-west 2 Exterior, general view, looking west 3 Exterior, general view, looking west 4 Exterior, general view, looking north-west 5 Exterior, general view, looking north 6 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 7 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 8 Exterior, general view, looking east 9 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 10 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south 11 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south-east 12 Exterior, north-west extension, looking south 13 Exterior, general view, looking south 14 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 15 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-east 16 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-west 17 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south 18 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking west 19 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking west 20 Exterior, south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking west 21 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 22 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 23 Exterior, detail of conservatory extension, looking west 24 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 25 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-west facing elevation, looking north 26 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 27 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 28 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking east 29 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 30 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 31 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 32 Exterior, view looking north-east across the Thames 33 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east 34 Interior, kitchen G2, looking north 35 Interior, store-room G3, looking north 36 Interior, room G4, looking north-west 37 Interior, room G5, looking north 38 Interior, corridors G6 and G7, looking south-west 39 Interior, corridor G1, looking north-east 40 Interior, room G8, looking east 41 Interior, room G9, looking north-west 42 Interior, room G10, looking south-west 43 Interior, room G11, looking north-east 44 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east towards lobby G16 45 Interior, corridor G12, looking south-west from lobby G16 46 Interior, entrance to basement, looking north-east 47 Interior, toilet G14, looking west 48 Interior, toilet G13, looking north 49 Interior, room G15, looking north 50 Interior, room G15, looking south-east 51 Interior, fireplace in room G15, looking north-east 52 Interior, cupboard in room G15, looking east 53 Interior, lobby G16, looking north-west 54 Interior, lobby G16, looking north 55 Interior, room G17, looking north 56 Interior, room G17, looking south-east 57 Interior, room G17, looking south 58 Interior, room G17, looking south-west 59 Interior, room G18, looking south 60 Interior, room G19, looking south-east 61 Interior, room G20, looking south-west 62 Interior, room G20, looking north 63 Interior, fireplace in room G20, looking east 64 Interior, lobby G21, looking south 65 Interior, lobby G21, looking east towards room G22 15

18 No. Description 66 Interior, room G22, looking north 67 Interior, room G22, looking south 68 Interior, room G22, looking north towards lobby G23 69 Interior, room G20, looking north 70 Interior, room F2, looking north-east 71 Interior, room F2, looking west 72 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east 73 Interior, room F4, looking north 74 Interior, room F5, looking north-west 75 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards room F7 76 Interior, corridor F3, looking west towards staircase 77 Interior, room F8, looking east 78 Interior, room F9, looking south 79 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east towards landing F11 80 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards toilet F10 81 Interior, landing F11, looking north towards staircase 82 Interior, landing F11, looking south-west towards toilet F13 83 Interior, room F12, looking north 84 Interior, room F14, looking south-east 85 Interior, room F14, looking south-west 86 Interior, room F14, looking south towards room F16 87 Interior, room F15, looking south 88 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards room F17 89 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards skylight 90 Interior, room F17, looking east 91 Interior, room F17, looking north 92 Interior, room F19, looking south-east 93 Interior, room F20, looking south-east 94 Interior, room F20, looking north-west 95 Interior, room S1, looking south-east 96 Interior, room S1, looking north-west towards bathroom S2 97 Interior, landing S11, looking south-west towards staircase 98 Interior, room S3, looking north 99 Interior, room S3, looking north-west into room S4 100 Interior, room S4, looking south-east 101 Interior, looking south-east towards kitchen S5 102 Interior, room S6, looking north-west 103 Interior, room S7, looking north-west 104 Interior, room S8, looking north-east (under-exposed) 105 Interior, room S9, looking north-west 106 Interior, room S8, looking north-west towards room S9 B. Colour Slides No. Description 1 Exterior, general view, looking south-west 2 Exterior, general view, looking west 3 Exterior, general view, looking west 4 Exterior, general view, looking north-west 5 Exterior, general view, looking north 6 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 7 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 8 Exterior, general view, looking east 9 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 10 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south 11 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south-east 12 Exterior, north-west extension, looking south 13 Exterior, general view, looking south 14 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 15 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-east 16 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-west 17 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south 18 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking west 19 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking west 20 Exterior, south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking west 21 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 22 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 23 Exterior, detail of conservatory extension, looking west 16

19 No. Description 24 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 25 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-west facing elevation, looking north 26 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 27 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 28 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking east 29 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 30 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 31 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 32 Exterior, view looking north-east across the Thames 33 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east 34 Interior, kitchen G2, looking north 35 Interior, store-room G3, looking north 36 Interior, room G4, looking north-west 37 Interior, room G5, looking north 38 Interior, corridors G6 and G7, looking south-west 39 Interior, corridor G1, looking north-east 40 Interior, room G8, looking east 41 Interior, room G9, looking north-west 42 Interior, room G10, looking south-west 43 Interior, room G11, looking north-east 44 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east towards lobby G16 45 Interior, corridor G12, looking south-west from lobby G16 46 Interior, entrance to basement, looking north-east 47 Interior, toilet G14, looking west 48 Interior, toilet G13, looking north 49 Interior, room G15, looking north 50 Interior, room G15, looking south-east 51 Interior, fireplace in room G15, looking north-east 52 Interior, cupboard in room G15, looking east 53 Interior, lobby G16, looking north-west 54 Interior, lobby G16, looking north 55 Interior, room G17, looking north 56 Interior, room G17, looking south-east 57 Interior, room G17, looking south 58 Interior, room G17, looking south-west 59 Interior, room G18, looking south 60 Interior, room G19, looking south-east 61 Interior, room G20, looking south-west 62 Interior, room G20, looking north 63 Interior, fireplace in room G20, looking east 64 Interior, lobby G21, looking south 65 Interior, lobby G21, looking east towards room G22 66 Interior, room G22, looking north 67 Interior, room G22, looking south 68 Interior, room G22, looking north towards lobby G23 69 Interior, room G20, looking north 70 Interior, room F2, looking north-east 71 Interior, room F2, looking west 72 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east 73 Interior, room F4, looking north 74 Interior, room F5, looking north-west 75 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards room F7 76 Interior, corridor F3, looking west towards staircase 77 Interior, room F8, looking east 78 Interior, room F9, looking south 79 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east towards landing F11 80 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards toilet F10 81 Interior, landing F11, looking north towards staircase 82 Interior, landing F11, looking south-west towards toilet F13 83 Interior, room F12, looking north 84 Interior, room F14, looking south-east 85 Interior, room F14, looking south-west 86 Interior, room F14, looking south towards room F16 87 Interior, room F15, looking south 88 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards room F17 89 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards skylight 90 Interior, room F17, looking east 91 Interior, room F17, looking north 92 Interior, room F19, looking south-east 17

20 No. Description 93 Interior, room F20, looking south-east 94 Interior, room F20, looking north-west 95 Interior, room S1, looking south-east 96 Interior, room S1, looking north-west towards bathroom S2 97 Interior, landing S11, looking south-west towards staircase 98 Interior, room S3, looking north 99 Interior, room S3, looking north-west into room S4 100 Interior, room S4, looking south-east 101 Interior, looking south-east towards kitchen S5 102 Interior, room S6, looking north-west 103 Interior, room S7, looking north-west 104 Interior, room S8, looking north-east (under-exposed) 105 Interior, room S9, looking north-west 106 Interior, room S8, looking north-west towards room S9 C. Monochrome Images No. Description 1 Interior, room S8, looking north-west towards room S9 2 Interior, room S9, looking north-west 3 Interior, room S8, looking north-east (under-exposed) 4 Interior, room S7, looking north-west 5 Interior, room S6, looking north-west 6 Interior, looking south-east towards kitchen S5 7 Interior, room S4, looking south-east 8 Interior, room S3, looking north-west into room S4 9 Interior, room S3, looking north 10 Interior, landing S11, looking south-west towards staircase 11 Interior, room S1, looking north-west towards bathroom S2 12 Interior, room S1, looking south-east 13 Interior, room F20, looking north-west 14 Interior, room F20, looking south-east 15 Interior, room F19, looking south-east 16 Interior, room F17, looking north 17 Interior, room F17, looking east 18 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards skylight 19 Interior, room F16, looking south-east towards room F17 20 Interior, room F15, looking south 21 Interior, room F14, looking south towards room F16 22 Interior, room F14, looking south-west 23 Interior, room F14, looking south-east 24 Interior, room F12, looking north 25 Interior, landing F11, looking south-west towards toilet F13 26 Interior, landing F11, looking north towards staircase 27 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards toilet F10 28 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east towards landing F11 29 Interior, room F9, looking south 30 Interior, room F8, looking east 31 Interior, corridor F3, looking west towards staircase 32 Interior, corridor F3, looking north-east towards room F7 33 Interior, room F5, looking north-west 34 Interior, room F4, looking north 35 Interior, corridor F3, looking south-east 36 Interior, room F2, looking west 37 Interior, room F2, looking north-east 38 Interior, room G20, looking north 39 Interior, room G22, looking north towards lobby G23 40 Interior, room G22, looking south 41 Interior, room G22, looking north 42 Interior, lobby G21, looking east towards room G22 43 Interior, lobby G21, looking south 44 Interior, fireplace in room G20, looking east 45 Interior, room G20, looking north 46 Interior, room G20, looking south-west 47 Interior, room G19, looking south-east 48 Interior, room G18, looking south 49 Interior, room G17, looking south-west 18

21 No. Description 50 Interior, room G17, looking south 51 Interior, room G17, looking south-east 52 Interior, room G17, looking north 53 Interior, lobby G16, looking north-west 54 Interior, lobby G16, looking north-west 55 Interior, cupboard in room G15, looking east 56 Interior, fireplace in room G15, looking north-east 57 Interior, room G15, looking south-east 58 Interior, room G15, looking north 59 Interior, toilet G13, looking north 60 Interior, toilet G14, looking west 61 Interior, entrance to basement, looking north-east 62 Interior, corridor G12, looking south-west from lobby G16 63 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east towards lobby G16 64 Interior, room G11, looking north-east 65 Interior, room G10, looking south-west 66 Interior, room G9, looking north-west 67 Interior, room G8, looking east 68 Interior, corridor G1, looking north-east 69 Interior, corridors G6 and G7, looking south-west 70 Interior, room G5, looking north 71 Interior, room G4, looking north-west 72 Interior, store-room G3, looking north 73 Interior, kitchen G2, looking north 74 Interior, corridor G1, looking south-east 75 Exterior, view looking north-east across the Thames 76 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 77 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-west 78 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 79 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking east 80 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 81 Exterior, detail of south-west facing elevation, looking north-east 82 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-west facing elevation, looking north 83 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 84 Exterior, detail of conservatory extension, looking west 85 Exterior, detail of doorway in south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 86 Exterior, detail of south-east facing elevation, looking north-west 87 Exterior, south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking west 88 Exterior, south-east facing elevation and conservatory extension, looking south-west 89 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking west 90 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south 91 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-west 92 Exterior, detail of north-east facing elevation, looking south-east 93 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 94 Exterior, general view, looking south 95 Exterior, north-west extension, looking south 96 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south-east 97 Exterior, north-west facing elevation, looking south 98 Exterior, general view, looking south-east 99 Exterior, general view, looking east 100 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 101 Exterior, general view, looking north-east 102 Exterior, general view, looking north 103 Exterior, general view, looking north-west 104 Exterior, general view, looking west 105 Exterior, general view, looking west 106 Exterior, general view, looking south-west 19

22 SITE Slough READING Maidenhead Hungerford Newbury Thatcham Wokingham Windsor Bracknell SITE SU GHB 09/79 The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal Figure 1. Location of site in Lower Basildon and Berkshire. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Explorer 159 & 170 at 1: Ordnance Survey Licence

23 N SITE SU The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 2. Location of site off the A329. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital mapping under licence. Crown copyright reserved. Scale: 1:1250

24 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure Enclosure Map.

25 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure Tithe Map.

26 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 5. First Edition Ordnance Survey, 1877.

27 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 6. Second Edition Ordnance Survey, 1899.

28 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure Ordnance Survey.

29 N SITE The Grotto House, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure Ordnance Survey.

30 N G3 G2 G5 G9 G1 G8 G11 G17 G4 G7 G6 G10 G16 G13 G12 G14 G15 G18 G19 G20 G21 G23 G22 The Grotto, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 9. Ground floor plan, Scale 1:250.

31 N F2 F1 F4 F7 F8 F3 F10 F20 F5 F6 F9 F12 F11 F13 F14 F19 F16 F15 F18 F17 The Grotto, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 10. First floor plan, Scale 1:250.

32 N S7 S4 S5 S3 S2 S11 S1 The Grotto, Lower Basildon, West Berkshire, 2009 Historic building appraisal GHB 09/79 Figure 11. Second floor plan, Scale 1:250.

33 Plate 1. Photograph taken around Plate 2. Photograph taken in the 1880 s. Plate 3. Photograph taken shortly before the Second World War. Plate 4. Photograph showing the sunken garden. GHB 09/79

34 Plate Engraving of the house. Plate 6. Photograph showing the balcony. GHB 09/79