Details
SU 98 SE SLOUGH STOKE POGES LANE (west side)
2/1 Baylis House Including Forecourt
Walls And Pavilions Adjoining
To North-east (formerly listed
29.9.50 as Baylis House and outbuildings)
G.V. I
House, forecourt walls, and pavilions, now management centre. Circa 1695,
possibly by Dean Hascard with alterations and additions in 1725-6 by Thomas
Rowland, north-west wing, some internal alterations, forecourt walls and
pavilions attributed to John James of 1733-5, and further alterations in
circa 1750, the early C19, and 1954 when the 1726 top storey was removed after
a fire. House; south-east block: red brick with hipped slate roof. 2 storeys.
Entrance front: gauged brick window heads and giant order of pilaster strips at
ends and flanking slightly projecting centre 3 bays; sunken semi circular
panels above ground floor windows, plat band, wooden dentil eaves cornice
with central 3 bay triangular pediment, coped parapet, lead downpipes, and
4 ridge stacks off-centre to left and right. 7 bays, centre 3 narrower;
glazing bar sashes with small panes, 2 on ground floor to left sealed and
panelled over inside. Central paired half glazed doors with rectangular
overlight; doorcase consisting of brick pilasters with rendered blocked
rustication, blank panel in architrave above, and console brackets supporting
dentil cornice which breaks forwards at ends. Garden front: similar but
without semi circular panels above ground floor windows. 2 central half
glazed doors with rectangular overlight and early C18 doorcase consisting of
plain architrave and console brackets supporting triangular pediment.
Venetian window lighting staircase in light well to north-west. North-west
block: red brick with hipped slate roof. 2 storeys. Entrance front:
gauged brick window heads, plat band, moulded brick cornice, coped parapet,
and 3 stacks. 4 bays, glazing bar sashes with small panes. Garden front:
3 bays with first floor blind window to left. 6 bay north-west front.
Interior: largely early C18 but with some later alterations. Entrance hall
with black and white flagged floor, fielded panelling; doorcases with lugged
architraves, pulvinated frieze, dentil cornices, and panelled reveals;
fireplace with shouldered architrave and panelled overmantel with dentil
cornice; large arch to staircase hall with imposts and keystone. Dog-leg
staircase to north-west with C19 wrought iron balustrade and fielded wainscot
panelling. Ground floor front room to left with re-ordered fielded panelling;
doorcase with lugged architrave, pulvinated frieze with bay leaf ornament, and
broken triangular pediment with Cartouche and Godolphin shield in tympanum;
fireplace with carved shells and foliage, and console brackets supporting
carved cornice. Present library contains 3 bay Ionic colonnade with fluted
columns, quilloche ornament on soffits of beams, and rich plaster frieze
and cornice. Further panelling and fireplaces on both floors. Forecourt walls
and pavilions: attributed to John James of 1733-5. 2 walls: approximately
2.5 metres high and projecting approximately 40 metres to north-east of house,
breaking back with quadrant corners. 6 bays of blind arcading at south-west
ends and 3 bays at north-east ends, with gauged brick piers, arches, imposts
and keystones. 6-panelled door in arch of north-west door near house, and
C20 wrought iron gate in arch of south-east wall near house. 2 pavilions:
red and grey brick with stone dressings and pyramidal slate roofs. Square
of Slough, plan at north-east ends of forecourt walls. 2 storeys. Each pavilion has
3-bay blind arcading on inner face with gauged brick piers, arches, imposts
and keystones; central arch on north-west pavilion has been raised at a later
date and an arched sash inserted. Each has coped clasping buttress on outer
corner, plat band, stone eaves cornice, and globe finial to roof. South-west
pavilions has later stack to north-east. Small first floor sashes on inner
faces and to north-east. The house was built for Dr. Henry Godolphin,
Provost of Eton, in 1708. The First Lord Rosslyn, Lord Chancellor 1793-1801,
died here in 1805. V.C.H. (Bucks), Vol. 3, p.304; B.O.E.(Bucks), p.240; The
History of Slough, Maxwell Fraser, Slough Corporation, 1973, p.145; The Story
of Slough, Judith Hunter, Local Heritage Books, 1983, pp.47-8.
Listing NGR: SU9694780868
