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Description: Giles House

Address: Giles House St Giles Road Lightcliffe Halifax West Yorkshire HD6 2LP

Grade: IISTAR

Group detail: Lower Finkil Street

Full description:
House. Dated 1655. Hammer-dressed stone, stone slate roof. 2 storeys. Double pile on plan. 3 gabled south front of 3 rooms and 3 bays. Drip course, coped gables with kneelers and ball finials. All are double chamfered mullioned windows, those to ground floor having transoms. The outer bays retain their original 12 lights with a 6-light window over to 1st bay and a 5-light window to 3rd bay. The central bay has an 8-light window, formerly of 12 lights now reduced and C20 doorway in the original position replacing a C19 doorway with monolithic jambs. Over is an inscribed stone possibly re-set and re-used from the original door reading '1655 TN' (Timothy Netherwood). The first floor of the central bay has an 8-light window with king mullion with a columbarium to gable. Between the 1st 2 bays is an arch-headed light with spandrels now forming surround to a coat of arms carved in relief. 2 stacks to ridge. Decorative modern glazing with several engraved panes to 1st floor. One records 'Brighouse New Church Consecrated September 24th 1831'. Another 'Jon h Carter came to Giles House on May Day 1770 The Lord is my Shepherd Therefore do I lack nothing.' The right hand return wall has drip course and preserves double chamfered mullioned windows of 7 lights to ground floor (rear kitchen) and 4 lights (one mullion removed) to 1st floor. Rear has 3 similar gables. The 1st bay lintel with gable stack (to kitchen). The 2nd and 3rd bays were probably reconstructed over a single storey aisle or outshut to provide additional accommodation in the 1st quarter C18. Central bay has recessed chamfered mullioned windows with square reveals of 6 lights to ground floor and 4 lights to 1st floor. Situated at junction of the 1st 2 bays is doorway with monolithic jambs and semi-circular arch with projecting dropped keystone. Set within the gable is rectangular stone with oval depression and architrave inscribed 'MG 1723' (Michael Gibson). 3rd bay has 2 similar windows to 1st floor with hoodmoulds and two 3-light flat faced mullioned win- dows to ground floor which has doorway with monolithic jambs. Attached is 2-storey range formerly connected with textile manufacture. At its juction with the house is doorway with monolithic jambs with taking-in door over. Ground floor has recessed flat faced mullioned windows with square reveals of 3 and 5 lights. Different masonry to 1st floor which has two 3 light flat faced mullioned windows. This was probably a single storey outshut in the mid C18 raised to 2 storeys in the C19. South front was probably 2 storeys originally perhaps contemporary with the 1723 rebuildings of the rear of house and preserves 2 double framed chamfered mullioned windows with square reveals of 3 lights to 1st floor. Attached to 3rd bay south front is garden wall of hammer-dressed stone, with stone capping in which is doorway with monolithic jambs and semi-circular arch, the voussoirs of which are slightly recessed to the inner edge with prominent dropped keystone inscribed 'SSM 1811'. Interior: Fairly featureless except to 1st bay ground floor room which was parlour and has fireplace with a shallow arched lintel and chamfered surround, carved wooden overmantel bears the date 1655 and is decorated with 4 panels of lozenges set horizontally with an arched central panel with floral motif. Over is a plaster frieze formed of a double arcade with pilasters the panels of which have fruit and foliage enrichments. G. Hepworth, Brighouse, its scenery and antiquities, (Halifax, 1885), p.16. D. Nortcliffe, Buildings of Brighouse, (Brighouse 1978), p.22.