Historic England Advice Report 07 September 2016 Case Name: Alston HALL, Longridge, Preston, Lancs, PR3 3BP Case Number: 1433442 Background Historic England has received an application to consider Alston Hall for listing. The application has been prompted by the redundancy of the building and its marketing by the owners. Asset(s) under Assessment Facts about the asset(s) can be found in the Annex(es) to this report. Annex List Entry Number Name Heritage Category HE Recommendation 1 1434771 Alston Hall Listing Add to List Visits Date Visit Type 11 April 2016 Full inspection Context Alston Hall is mentioned in the ‘Lancashire: North’ volume of the Pevsner Buildings of England guide, but has not previously been assessed for listing. Assessment CONSULTATION Due to the impending sale of the building, a reduced consultation period of one week was agreed with the owners and the applicant. The applicant, the owners (Lancashire County Council) and their sales agents, the Historic Environment Record, and the local planning authority were invited to comment on the factual details of the case as part of the consultation process. The applicant confirmed that they had no additional information to add; no other responses to the consultation were received. DISCUSSION The statutory criteria for a building being included on the List are that it holds special architectural or historic interest. The general principles the Secretary of State applies when deciding whether a building is of special architectural or historic interest are set out in the Principles of Selection for Listing Buildings (DCMS, 2010). Further detailed considerations are published in Historic England's Selection Guides for specific building types, in this case the most relevant being Domestic 3: Suburban and Country Houses (2011). This highlights the need for progressively greater selectivity after 1840, and that key considerations will be the quality of elevational design, planning interest, the quality and survival of decorative elements, and innovation. As described in the entry in the Pevsner Buildings of England guide, Alston Hall makes good use of the progression of elevations, in particular on its garden front (south elevation). In addition, the varying height of the different projecting elements on that elevation helps to create a harmonious composition and to identify principal internal spaces. This careful use of recession extends to other elevations; for example through the tower projecting from the east front, which in turn sits forward of the east wall of the north range. This lends the square house an aspect similar to the phased, courtyard-plan houses built when the style was new. The Page 1 of 8 Historic England Advice Report 07 September 2016 overall Tudor Revival style is plain, but close inspection reveals substantial detailing beyond the obvious hoodmoulds to windows. This includes chevron courses and blind oculi in the gables, scrolls to the kneeler corbels, and even gablets to the shoulders of the tall chimney stacks and machicolations to their corbelled tops. The detailing to the tower is particularly fine, with machicolations, gargoyles and elaborate stops to the hoodmoulds of the (projecting) porte-cochere arches. The high standard of detailing is continued internally with Gothic details (mainly in the public spaces) mixing with what Darbyshire called the French-Italian style in the rooms. Together, the Entrance Hall, galleried staircase, Billiard Room, Dining Room, Drawing Room and Chapel make a very good suite of high-status spaces, with very finely-detailed plasterwork, good joinery and good use of high-quality stone such as marble and granite. Good detailing is also found in private and lower-status spaces such as bedrooms and the service stair, not just in the more prestigious areas. Overall, the design is carefully considered and well executed, and above the ordinary standard for its time. It compares well, for example, with the larger but similar-style Crookhey Hall (National Heritage List for England 1071793), of 1874 by Alfred Waterhouse, who was articled to the partner of Darbyshire’s mentor, Peter Alley. It is also of a similar style and standard to Shavington Hall (1877, NHLE 1258019). The designer of Alston Hall, Alfred Darbyshire (1839-1908), was a notable theatre architect, in particular having improved fire safety for audiences. His work was chiefly around Manchester (including The Palace Theatre, Grade II, NHLE 1271227), but also in London and Exeter. Some of his domestic work is already listed, mainly at Lyme Park where he designed or altered several buildings. His authorship of Alston Hall is mentioned in his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. He was elected an associate of the Institute of British Architects in 1864, fellow in 1870, and vice-president 1902–5. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1894. From 1901 to 1903 he was president of the Manchester Society of Architects, and did much to encourage the foundation of a chair of architecture at Manchester University. He was also a notable figure in Manchester society, being one of the original members of the Brasenose Club, and well-known in theatrical circles. He published several books on heraldry, and The Booke of Olde Manchester and Salford, A Chronicle of the Brasenose Club, Manchester, An Architect's Experiences: Professional, Artistic, and Theatrical, and The Art of the Victorian Stage. The attribution of the design to Darbyshire adds to the special architectural interest manifest in the fabric. Darbyshire’s work at Alston Hall is largely still extant, partly due to good stewardship of the building by its public-sector owners since 1949. Alterations have been carried out sympathetically, with much of the accommodation for residential courses being provided in the attics, and with partitioning of service rooms on the main floors respecting and preserving the elaborate cornicing and skirting. Some fireplaces have been replaced or altered, but few have been blocked and many are probably original. Good quality flooring, joinery and fittings are still found throughout the building, including quarry tiles on the cellar floor. In addition, the only extension, in the north-east corner, is single-storey and has been carefully designed to match the original. This extension is not of special interest, but equally has not detracted from the interest of the original building, or the ancillary buildings with which it links. There is no special interest in the interior of the stable block other than the probable original roof trusses, although the exterior contributes to the interest of the hall, as do the surviving remains of the walled garden (not including modern alterations and repairs) and glass-house. The loss of the original conservatory is a minor one, and its replacement has also not reduced the special interest of the hall; neither has the loss of the attached glasshouses from the north-west corner. The most significant loss externally is the removal of some of the stone mullions and transoms on the south elevation, which are shown in a historic photograph, and also not present in another photograph of uncertain, but historic, age. However, similar windows survive intact on other elevations, and some mullions remain on this elevation. The pattern of the replacement timber windows follows that of the original divisions. Overall the hall can still be read more or less in its original form, and the additions could be reversed with little negative impact. The survival of the walled garden, stable block and ancillary buildings adds to the interest of the house as these elements form part of its original setting and assist in understanding how the house was run. In recommending the extent of designation, we have considered whether powers of exclusion under s.1 (5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate, and consider that they are, which is clear in the proposed List entry. CONCLUSION After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are fulfilled. Alston Hall is therefore recommended for listing at Grade II. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION Alston Hall, a country house of 1876 designed by Alfred Darbyshire, is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons: Page 2 of 8 Historic England Advice Report 07 September 2016 * Design quality: with highly decorative elevations and interesting planning including a porte-cochere beneath a tower, and comparing well with other listed examples of similar age; * Architect: as a good domestic design by the notable theatre architect Alfred Darbyshire; * Degree of survival: due to its little-altered appearance and interior, in particular the dining room, drawing room and galleried stair hall, but with historic joinery, plasterwork, fireplaces and light fittings throughout. Countersigning comments: Agreed. Alston Hall (and it's associated walled garden and stable block) designed by the notable theatre architect Alfred Darbyshire, is nicely massed, planned and detailed and survives in relatively intact form. It compares well to other country houses of this date and scale that are already on the NHLE and therefore merits its own place on the List at Grade II. V Fiorato, 5 September 2016 Page 3 of 8 Historic England Advice Report 07 September 2016 Annex 1 List Entry List Entry Summary This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest. Name: Alston Hall List Entry Number: 1434771 Location Alston Lane, Alston, Preston, PR3 3BP The listed buildings are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map, the iron gateposts and gates at the entrance, and the iron hoop-top fence and gate enclosing the S lawn) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.