John Lucas inherited the old estate and house of Stouthall in 1787 and set about rebuilding the house. He engaged William Jernegan, the leading Swansea architect of his time. Jernegan's design is a slightly reduced copy of Penrice Castle, a nearby house which was designed in 1773 by Anthony Keck for T M Talbot; both houses have similar planning, a north entrance with porch, a generous bow to the south and a service wing to the east. Jernegan's design brought the main stairs from a side position into a two-storey hall, improving the planning; but the house is of cheaper materials and less lavishly finished. Both are decorated in the Adam tradition. Stouthall was finished in about 1790-3 and occupied at the latter date, although masons' and plumbers' dates of 1800 and 1803 have also been observed in the roof. The service wing to the east is probably a little later. In 1831 Stouthall descended to Col J N Lucas, who remained until 1843; it then passed to his son in law, Col Wood. At the end of the century Stouthall was rented to tenants. By 1903 there was no male heir. During the First World War it was billeted by soldiers. In 1920 the estate was sold, and the house has served numerous purposes since. After the Second World War Stouthall served as a convalescent home and until recently as a field study centre for the London Borough of Merton. A balustrade at ground level on the west and south sides of the house has disappeared. In 1942 single storey offices were added to the north front at each side of the main entrance.
Source Cadw list description
RCAHMW 2009