DOI Heft:
No. 58 (January, 1898)
DOI Artikel:A modern English country house: designed by Arnold Mitchell
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18390#0290
A Modern English Country I louse
may be that its aesthetic qualities arc too subtle to
be discerned at first glimpse; hut if it be art, it
accepts all the commonplace demands based on
practical necessity, and fulfils them admirably before
Art with a big A comes in. If art is not as lofty
a matter as this, then its champions must needs be
ranked with the charlatan, or the weak-minded
fanatics who believe that science and art are
enemies.
The house which Mr. Mitchell has designed—
one might say " builded "—for Sir Benjamin Baker,
is delightfully placed on high ground above Pang-
bourne, in the far-reaching views of the Thames
Valley. A number of fine trees have not been dis-
turbed, so that in a very short time, when the crude-
ness inevitable to a new brick structure has
become modified by the weather, the house will
come harmoniously into the landscape. The gates
to the carriage-drive are worth a moment's notice,
both for their general design and for certain vigorous
pieces of carving worked out of the solid oak posts.
The house design itself from this side is so clearly
seen in the illustration on page 240 that it must
be a waste of words to explain its general plan.
The entrance-door, given in a separate illustration,
is admirably placed and is well planned. An iron
scraper of special design, a letter-box and a piece of
carving just above it, show ornamental details of
graceful character. A panel designed and executed
by Mr. George Simmonds is to the right of the
electric bell, and is the only feature that calls for
comment. Its subject is a kid and a horseshoe ;
the latter was picked up by one of the future in-
mates of the house, and the rest of the design
contains allusions to private matter which need not
be explained here. On the angle of the house the
very well designed bracket for the electric light, in
copper and iron, was made by Hart, Son and Peard.
Although this is the ceremonial entrance to the
house, its real front is on the other side, and ap-
proached from a middle path, well placed upon a
terrace, as we see is in another view (page 239).
The character of the design is now clear. Red bricks
and red tiles, with white-framed casements, group
pleasantly against the trees, and show how skilfully
the architect has managed to provide for an un-
usual number of windows. In the building itself
these windows do not appear to carry the upper
THE DINING-ROOM
242
ARNOLD MITCHELL, ARCHITECT
may be that its aesthetic qualities arc too subtle to
be discerned at first glimpse; hut if it be art, it
accepts all the commonplace demands based on
practical necessity, and fulfils them admirably before
Art with a big A comes in. If art is not as lofty
a matter as this, then its champions must needs be
ranked with the charlatan, or the weak-minded
fanatics who believe that science and art are
enemies.
The house which Mr. Mitchell has designed—
one might say " builded "—for Sir Benjamin Baker,
is delightfully placed on high ground above Pang-
bourne, in the far-reaching views of the Thames
Valley. A number of fine trees have not been dis-
turbed, so that in a very short time, when the crude-
ness inevitable to a new brick structure has
become modified by the weather, the house will
come harmoniously into the landscape. The gates
to the carriage-drive are worth a moment's notice,
both for their general design and for certain vigorous
pieces of carving worked out of the solid oak posts.
The house design itself from this side is so clearly
seen in the illustration on page 240 that it must
be a waste of words to explain its general plan.
The entrance-door, given in a separate illustration,
is admirably placed and is well planned. An iron
scraper of special design, a letter-box and a piece of
carving just above it, show ornamental details of
graceful character. A panel designed and executed
by Mr. George Simmonds is to the right of the
electric bell, and is the only feature that calls for
comment. Its subject is a kid and a horseshoe ;
the latter was picked up by one of the future in-
mates of the house, and the rest of the design
contains allusions to private matter which need not
be explained here. On the angle of the house the
very well designed bracket for the electric light, in
copper and iron, was made by Hart, Son and Peard.
Although this is the ceremonial entrance to the
house, its real front is on the other side, and ap-
proached from a middle path, well placed upon a
terrace, as we see is in another view (page 239).
The character of the design is now clear. Red bricks
and red tiles, with white-framed casements, group
pleasantly against the trees, and show how skilfully
the architect has managed to provide for an un-
usual number of windows. In the building itself
these windows do not appear to carry the upper
THE DINING-ROOM
242
ARNOLD MITCHELL, ARCHITECT