Hillfield House

For other uses, see Hillfield.

Hillfield House
Entrance gates and former lodge to Hillfield House

Hillfield House is a grade II listed house in Denmark Road, Gloucester, in England. The building, in the Italianate style popularised by Charles Barry, is faced in ashlar Bath stone, with a centrally placed tower and a porte-cochère entrance.[1]

It was built in 1867–69 by Albert Estcourt to a design by John Giles for the timber merchant Charles Walker, and replaced an earlier house of 1826 known as Woodbine Hill.[2] One source states that the previous building was a "classical villa which dates back to around 1820".[3][4] It once had extensive grounds, but these are now a park known as Hillfield Gardens.[5] The description in December 2020 stated: "Now a Council-owned public park covering about 1.6 hectares, Highfield Gardens is supported by an active Friends group which organises annual events".[6]

During WW I the property was used as an emergency hospital. Between 1933 and 2014, the house was occupied as offices by local government agencies.[7] A survey in 2014 "described the house as a "classical villa which dates back to around 1820 and is of significant historical value to the city".[8]

The historic listing described the building as "a good example of a mid C19 villa, particularly notable for its fine interior" and another source called it the "most elaborate Victorian house in Gloucester".[1]

The gates and lodge to the former entrance from London Road have also been Grade II listed, since 1998. The summary states: "Entrance gates to public gardens, formerly the gates to the grounds... ashlar piers and balustrade, wrought-iron gates. Carriage gateway and pedestrian gateway to right set back between short quadrant balustrades".[9][10]

  1. ^ a b Verey, David & Alan Brooks. (2002). The Buildings of England Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and the Forest of Dean (3rd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 501. ISBN 9780300097337.
  2. ^ HILLFIELD HOUSE List Entry Number 1271659
  3. ^ GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL HILLFIELD HOUSE, GLOUCESTER
  4. ^ Hillfield Gardens. Visit Gloucester. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. ^ Hillfield Gardens
  6. ^ Hillfield Gardens also known as Highfield, Woodbine Hill 6888
  7. ^ 'The most elaborate house in Gloucester' for sale for £1.85million
  8. ^ Historic house returns to private ownership after 100 years 7 October 2014
  9. ^ Historic England. "Entrance Gates to Hillfield Gardens (1245747)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  10. ^ Historic England. "Gate Lodge to West of Entrance Gates to Hillfield Rest Garden (1245738)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 April 2019.