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© Mr Arthur A. Chapman FRICS

IoE Number: 32583
Location: NEWTON PARK THE COUNTRY HOUSE OF THE COLLEGE ONLY,
  NEWTON ST LOE, BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET, SOMERSET
Photographer: Mr Arthur A. Chapman FRICS
Date Photographed: 13 August 1999
Date listed: 24 September 1984
Date of last amendment: 24 September 1984
Grade I

ST 86 SENEWTON ST. LOENEWTON PARK7/133Newton Park, the Country Houseof the College onlyG.V.

ST 86 SE NEWTON ST. LOE NEWTON PARK 7/133 Newton Park, the Country House of the College only G.V. I Country house, now the administrative centre and music rooms of the City of Bath College of Higher Education. 1762-5 by Stiff Leadbetter for Joseph Langton. Bath stone ashlar, hipped and mansard slate roof behind balustraded parapet and dentilled cornice to centre block, hipped roofs behind blocking course and moulded cornice to service wings, ashlar stacks. The house plan consists of a central block linked by quadrant arcades which curve forward to identical service ranges. Central block. 2 storeys on a basement and with attics in dormers. 2:3:2 bays, the central 3 project slightly and are surmounted by a pediment which has a Diocletian window in the tympanum. Glazing bar sash windows in moulded architraves, the ground floor windows are surmounted by alternate triangular and segmental pediments which are surmounted on consoles, continuous cill band. Central panelled door in moulded architrave and under a pediment on consoles. The linking Quadrant have tall balustraded parapets: arcades of 5 bays, recessed glazed windows and central panelled door, all with imposts and dripmoulds; cornice and wrought iron lamp brackets over the doors. Service Wings. 1:3:1 bays, the central 3 being advanced and surmounted by a pediment, the west wing has a clock in the tympanum and the east has a compass: octagonal bell turrets surmounted by ball finials and a windvane. Some downpipes with moulded hoppers. The West and North elevations of the main block are similar to the entrance front but have full-height canted bays to the centre and pediments over the central windows only. To the rear of the east-quadrant is a 3 bay loggia with Tuscan columns in antis (1906). Interior. The house retains most of its original fine plasterwork, although some was remodelled or redecorated in 1893. Panelled doors in enriched architraves to most rooms. Hall. Ox-skull and triglyph frieze: ceiling in 3 parts, lozenges to the outer parts and a circular central motif with intertwined foliage. Ground Floor Right. Inner part with oval motif in octagonal border and delicate scrollwork; modillioned cornice; enriched friezes over the doors; marble fireplace with enriched central plaque. Staircase Hall. Open well cantilever staircase and enriched wrought iron balustrade of S pattern; glazed domical lantern on enriched plaster pendentives; screens of Tuscan columns on both floors. Rear north-west room. Enriched frieze with shells and urns; enriched friezes over the doors and to the fireplace: the ceiling has a central relief rose and 16 large and small Wedgwood style plaques depicting the Seasons and various mythological events. West or Octagon Room. Panelled octagonal ceiling with arabesques: anthemion frieze and dentilled cornice with swags. North (central) Room: Circular ceiling panels, feathers in the spandrels and arabesques; modillioned cornice and enriched frieze; marble fireplace with terms and swags and a central figure panel of a sacrifice. Most of the first floor rooms retain modillioned and dentilled cornices and enriched fireplaces. (N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England : North Somerset and Bristol, 1958. G. Davis, The Langtons of Newton Park, n.d.).