Lymehurst Hall

A few photos of decor within the hall (dark brown paint modern):

Building B: Hall

Hall, pre investigation (above)

Note the final phase of decoration on the walls - papered with textured paper, and painted white; the handrail has been stripped and varnished (note the stratification of varnish from the base of a tin above the paint on the stairs), the stair treads painted a light gloss colour (over a layer of cream paint, which itself lies over a dark gloss stain to the wood) and banisters painted with a white matt paint.

Note traces in paintwork showing the position of stair carpet holders:


Close investigation revealed slight traces of the oiginal dark paint on the woodwork (phase 1):

and phase 2 paint effect corresponding to a greenish glaze, found on woodwork across much of the house (with the exception of the Kitchen), as seen here on the back of the front door:

The paper on one wall has been removed, to reveal 2 earlier phases of decoration (NB: radiator - though a contemporaneous feature - is a modern addition, and would not be expected in this size of house at this time):

Phase 1: buff paint (above). The hall is in the process of renovation, hence the dark paintwork, reflecting the original (Phase 1) colour.
Phase 2: textured paper (above)

A numer of holes at the bottom of the stairs lay beneath the phase 2 paper, and suggest the location of a feature - perhaps a shelf, mirror, or hooks? (Although note the presence of what appear to be original brass coat hooks in Photo 4, above)

Building A: decorative scheme in the hall

Preparation for decoration by the owners revealed the previous schemes of decoration.

The first scheme may have included a lighter green below the dado level, although removal of the secondary scheme - a buff colour (a staple of the 1930s, possibly suggesting the period in which the decor was updated) - was not possible, and therefore we were unable to determine whether there had been any form of dado rail

There appears to have been wall-mounted coat hooks (above), and a stair handrail (below). Note the dual colour scheme on the stairs (below)

Building A: parlour and hall - changes to house layout?

By looking at the cornice and doorframe (the architrave surrounds only the righthand side and top of the door), it appears that the hall of this property was a later addition, although was probably done quite soon after the construction of the house - it may even reflect rectification of a mistake made by the builder, or changes to the syle of house undertaken during construction. Beacuse...


...The cornice of the adjoining room is of the period. The unusual shape of the hallway: look at the door of the back room as it turns inwards at an angle:

And of the skirting at the outside corner of the room, and architraving around the arch, also give away this modification:

Floorboards also run through the hall and into the frontroom (parlour) - we would expect longitudinal boards or tiles in the hall (note also the floorboard stain in the parlour, and buff-coloured semi-grained stain of the hall):


It might be conjectured that this change perhaps indicates the desire to assert status by having a seperate parlour and hall, rather than entrance straight into this room, as commonly found within terraced houses in this area. However, it may as easily represent changes to layout by the builder during construction.