Sites and Monument Record: Parkhall House (Haining) (SMR 205)
Description
Formerly Parkhall. Large grey ashlar 2-storey house with courtyard to rear. Portico with 4 doric columns. Ground floor windows have drip mould. Lancet windows to rear have date 1825. Some Edwardian alterations to make conservatories, etc.
The main block of 1825 still forms the eastern facade of the complex of buildings and uses a grey sandstone. Originally this facade was symmetrical with a wide square central bay. It has large window apertures on the ground floor with hood mouldings terminating in simply carved finials. It also possesses large projecting wooden eaves in the Italianate style. At the north-east corner of the building was the main entrance with a slightly advanced colonnaded porch set in a single storey wing. At that time the north facade had a tall single storey featuring paired lancet windows - that on the west having the date 1825 carved in large figures between the arches. The south facade was dominated by two conservatories; the roof raggle of which can still be seen. The eastern of these conservatories projected at right angles to the main block with a gable adjacent to the remaining terrace steps. The other lay along the side of the block as a simple lean-to.
West of the main dwelling was a series of less elaborate ancillary buildings forming an open courtyard - evidently for services. It is shown like this on the 1st ed OS map, but by the 2nd ed these had been considerably altered. The southern part of the service wing was lengthened and a second storey added. The sandstone used for the new work was buff in colour and softer than the original, making it stand out today. The lower section here was hidden behind a long lean-to conservatory with a single storey entrance porch at its east end. More buildings were also added to the west side of the courtyard, including a through pend with a segmental arch. It was probably also at this time that parts of the old main block were given an added storey. Buff coloured sandstone can be seen on the upper floors of the north and west facades of that block.
In 2007/08 a large extension was proposed to the west side of the complex by means of a corridor originating at the pend. It was designed by Thomas & Adamson.
A walled garden was located to the north-west of the house. Apart from curving lawns to the east and south-east, the house sat in wooded enclosures. The principal facade to the east was fronted by a wide gravelled terrace. At either end of this terrace is a short flight of steps with a protruding area between that once contained a sundial. Beyond the terrace is another lawn.
At the edge of the woodland, 500m to the SE of the House, is the inner lodge. The 1st and 2nd OS plans show a gasometer to its west. A second lodge is placed at the entrance drive off Vellore Road.
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