54 COLESHILL, BERKSHIRE 



Another house attributed to Jones on fairly good evidence 

 is Coleshill, in Berkshire, which stands on a steep hillside facing 

 westwards across the valley to High worth. It is a striking 

 embodiment of that cultivated manner in architecture which was 

 begun by Jones, continued by Webb, and was destined gradu- 

 ally to supersede the traditional methods of the countryside. 

 Although thoroughly English in feeling it could never have 

 been devised without an intimate knowledge of Italian detail. 

 It is simple, dignified, and regular, depending for its effect upon 

 nice proportion and skilful detail, not at all upon picturesque 

 variety or broken grouping. It is a plain oblong in plan, without 

 wings or projections (Fig. 28) ; it is lofty in elevation, without 

 gables or even a pediment (Fig. 29) ; the corners are emphasised 

 with bold quoins, the roof springs from a widely projecting cornice, 

 and is crowned with a stout balustrade surrounding a spacious 

 lead-covered flat, out of which rises a large central cupola. The 

 slopes of the roof are diversified with dormers ; the massive 

 chimney-stacks are accurately and symmetrically placed, each 

 answering to each. There is nothing about it haphazard or 

 unexpected, nothing quaint or piquant ; everything is correct, 

 regular, and stately. It cannot, however, be deemed, like 

 Tennyson's Maud, 



" Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null," 



for its effect is both striking and attractive ; it is noble without 

 being oppressively grand. 



The simplicity of the exterior arises from the simplicity of 

 the plan. The ground floor, which is mainly occupied by the 

 reception rooms and the great staircase, is raised high above the 

 ground, thus leaving space for the windows of the basement, 

 which is devoted to the kitchens and servants' quarters. The 

 upper floor contains the grand saloon and bedrooms ; in the 

 roof are commodious attics ; a staircase in the cupola leads on 

 to the flat roof, whence fine views are obtained of the distant 

 Marlborough Downs. 



Although the house is of considerable size, the accommoda- 

 tion is not ample in proportion ; the bedrooms are large and 

 lofty, but few in number. Homeliness is somewhat sacrificed 

 to stateliness. It is inevitable that these fine, regular houses 

 should have the defects of their qualities. 



The plan is as different from the traditional plan of English 



