The house was designed by 1908 by Walter Brierley,[1] for the colliery owner Arthur Toward Wilson.[2]Patrick Nuttgens described it as a precursor of Brierley's work at Goddards House and Garden. Its gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll.[3] Brierley also designed a gatehouse on Sim Balk Lane, consisting of two cottages with a carriage arch between them.[4] Various additions to the house were made over the years, and both the house and gatehouse were grade II listed in 1985.[1] In the early 2000s, it was owned by Kevin Linfoot, a property developer.[5] In 2022, it was placed on the market for £4.75 million, although this was later reduced to £3.5 million, including the gatehouse.[6][7]
The arts and crafts house is built of hand-made bricks, some with mouldings, and a pantile roof. It has two wings with two storeys, the left-hand one of two bays, and the right-hand one of a single bay. The central section is also of two bays, with a single main storey and an attic. The entrance is through a panelled oak door, and the windows throughout are leaded casements. The interior is partly in the Jacobethan style, with many original features, including an open-well oak staircase.[1]
The gatehouse is similarly built of hand-made brick, with some render, and a pantile roof. It is a single storey, with an attic, and the walls bow towards the carriage entrance.[4]
