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Summary

This site comprises Down Place and a number of cinema production stages, workshops, stores and buildings formerly used as Bray Film Studios. The existing structure seems to have originated in the early 18th century as a small country house.

Monument Type(s):

• COUNTRY HOUSE (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1700 AD to 1951 AD)
• FILM STUDIO (Mid 20th Century to 21st Century - 1951 AD to 2010 AD?)

Description

The main building of Bray Studios is a Grade II listed large house beside the river Thames and was built in the early 18th century and was subsequently altered in the late 18th, 19th and 20th centuries (National Heritage List, entry no. 1117480) <1>.

The site comprises Down Place and a number of cinema production stages, workshops, stores and buildings formerly used as Bray Film Studios. Down Place contains an early 18th century historic core to the north (Block A), a number of ancillary areas to the south-west (Block B), and mid-18th century additions to the south and south-east (Block C). The historic core contains two storeys over a basement level, with habitable rooms in the attic. Later parts vary, with one-, two- and three-storey elements.

The existing structure seems to have originated in the early 18th century as a small country house. During the mid-18th century the house was owned by Richard Tonson; it is thought to have been during his period of occupancy that a phase of substantial alterations was wrought upon the house, turning it into a Gothic Revival residence echoing the style of Walpole’s recently-built Strawberry Hill at Greenwich. These works resulted in the reorientation of the house, with the principal (west) elevation being relegated to a façade of lesser status. The historic building recording exercise concerned the recording of the original principal elevation.

The house was square in plan with the original front elevation facing west. It had a symmetrical plan form around a central entrance lobby and staircase and two rooms to the front and back. To the south-east there are the remains of what is thought to have been a detached stable block. This has been converted into domestic use and has been linked to the main building by later additions. Down Place was originally built of red brickwork, parts of which still remain visible on the west elevation of the house and former stable block. During the mid-18th century the house was owned by Richard Tonson, the nephew of Jacob Tonson: publisher, bookseller and secretary of the Kit-Kat Club. The Kit Kat Club is thought to have originated in the 18th century and was a secret club set up with the purpose of supporting the House of Hanover and the Whig Party. It is thought to have been during the occupancy of Richard Tonson, that a phase of substantial alterations was wrought upon the house. This involved the reorientation of the house so that its principal elevation faced south, relegating the west elevation to being a less important façade. A two-storey addition was added to the south, which on the ground floor contained a large entrance hall and a secondary staircase which provided access to the attic. To the south-west was a single-storey service range of buildings, which acted as the western boundary to the entrance courtyard. To the east, set at a slight angle, a new two-storey wing was added, the ground floor level of which was used as a ballroom. At a right angle to this to the east are buildings which are thought to have been used as a chapel and stables and are now known as Toad Hall and Clock Tower House. At the same time, the majority of the exterior underwent cosmetic works in-line with the Gothic Revival style preferences of the period, including the addition of ashlar-lined rendering to the principal elevations and crenellated parapets. The heritage statement notes the parallels between this and the well-known work of Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill, and the social context – Horace Walpole being the son of the Whig Prime Minister, Sir Horace Walpole who had links to the Kit Kat Club.

Early mapping of the site from 1817 and 1844 shows the site following this major campaign of works. Ordnance Survey mapping dating from 1875, 1899 and 1932 highlights that Down Place remained relatively unchanged until the late 1940s, although by then it is known to have been in a derelict state.

In 1951 the house began to be used as a film studio by Hammer Films. Initially all the rooms in the house were used as makeshift film studios. In 1953, the ballroom and two other rooms on the ground floor of the east wing were knocked together to create a studio. In 1953, the first purpose-built studio was constructed, attached to the north wall of the east wing. Down Place was listed Grade II on 25th March 1955. In 1961, a fire in the east wing resulted in it being partially rebuilt. It is likely that at this time the first floor of the east wing was rebuilt and the ground floor ceiling height was raised to make it more suitable for use as a film studio. These changes are visible on the Ordnance survey map of 1973. The site to the south of Down Place continued to be developed until 1985 with new studios and workshop buildings. In 2010 Bray Studios ceased to be involved with film and music work and the buildings became redundant of use. Since construction, all later structures have been subjected to substantial additions and alterations dating to the 20th century and the modern day.

In July 2017 a historic buildings record of the west elevation of Bray Studio was carried out.
The west elevation comprises the principal elevation of the early 18th century house. This was relegated to form a less important façade during the mid-18th century works which altered the orientation of the house. It then underwent considerable alteration and periodic repair throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. As part of the first phase of remodelling, a crenellated parapet was added and the elevation was partially rendered. Historic mapping dating to 1817 identifies that the elevation had a central porch at this date. It continued to be shown on the tithe map of 1844 but had been removed by the time of the 1875 map. By 1899 a large conservatory had been constructed in the position of the former porch, and a single storey lean-to extension added to the north (now partially demolished). The maps remain relatively consistent until the Ordnance Survey map of 1973 which shows the replacement of the conservatory with the current brick extension. During the 20th century a metal balcony and fire escape ladder was added to the centre of the façade. All original windows have been replaced and the openings have been subject to extensive reconfiguration.

The elevation comprises a five-window range over two storeys, with an attic and a basement. The basement was originally lit by five windows, three of which have since been boarded and blocked. The brick-built facade is topped by a crenellated parapet with cement coping, which rises to a slate-covered mansard roof. The attic is lit by three regularly spaced dormer windows.

Over time the planned and piecemeal development of the west elevation of the original house, has obscured the original design, disrupted its symmetry and rendered it a less prominent elevation. The elevation nevertheless best reflects the aesthetic of the original design more than any other, and the brickwork fortunately retains key architectural features, in particular the moulded plat bands and fine gauged brickwork heads. The brickwork is also notable for the continued use of slim bricks – dimensions upwards of 55mm being the norm by this period. The mid-18th century phase of works have had the largest influence on its appearance - the crenellated parapet being a characteristic feature of the Gothic Revival style visited upon the rest of the house. The decision to render the brickwork of all but this elevation, highlights the demotion of this part of the house to a lesser status area, as does the shortening of the ground floor windows <2>.

<1> Historic England, The National Heritage List for England, List entry 1117480 (Index). SRD12029.

<2> Archaeology South-East, 2017, Bray Studios, Down Place, Water Oakley, Windsor SL4 5UG - Historic Building Record (Unpublished document). SRM16264.

<3> CgMs Consulting, 2010, Archaeological Desk Based Assessment - Bray Film Studios, Down Place, Water Oakley, Windsor (Unpublished document). SRM14174.

Sources

Designations

• Listed Building (II) 1117480: BRAY FILM STUDIOS

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