Hampstead

6. HAMPSTEAD.

(O.S. 6 in. London Sheets (^a)F. (^b)J.)

The borough of Hampstead includes only the parish of that name. Fenton House is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. John was rebuilt in 1745 and enlarged in 1878, but retains the following:—

Fittings—Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In churchyard—S. side, (1) to Mrs. Dyer, 1666, slab with inscription almost obliterated; W. end, (2) to Elizabeth, wife of Richard Bull, 1702, head-stone. Floor-slab: In N. aisle—to John Rixton, 1658, and Margaret, his wife, 1687, with shield-of-arms. Plate (Plate 36): includes large secular cup of 1629, richly embossed with scroll-work, birds, children and achievement-of-arms, and cover surmounted by figure of Roman soldier; a plate, probably of 1628, given in 1701, and a stand-paten of 1642. Miscellanea: In N.E. porch—mural tablet relating to the charitable bequests of John Rixton, 17th-century. Balustrade (Plate 100), with Jacobean balusters in the form of diminishing pilasters, made up with modern work.

Condition—Good.

^b(2). Church of St. Mary, Abbey Road, Kilburn, is modern but contains the following:—

Fitting—Brass: In S. transept—head of a nun, broken off and lower part of figure missing, dug up on site of Kilburn Priory, early 15th-century.

Secular

Monuments (3–29).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of late 17th or early 18th-century date and of three storeys; the walls are of brick and the roofs are covered with tiles or slates.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^a(3). Old Mansion, 46, Frognal, 100 yards N.W. of the parish church, is of two storeys with basement and attics. It has been much altered and added to at either end; the S. front was probably refaced in the 18th century. On the N. front a plain brick band divides the storeys and at the eaves is a modillioned cornice carried up in a pediment in the middle of the main block. The windows have rubbed-brick dressings and segmental heads. Inside the building the walls are lined with painted panelling, some of which may be original.

^a(4). Houses and Shops, Nos. 61 and 62, Heath Street, 270 yards N.E. of the parish church, are of two storeys with attics. They have been much altered. The shops which occupy the forecourt are modern additions. At the eaves-level is a moulded wood cornice. The window-frames are set flush with the outer wall and may be original.

^a(5). The Mount, house on W. side of Heath Street, 130 yards N. of (4), is of Z-shaped plan with the end wings extending towards the S. and N. The W. wing is a later addition. The main block has an added top storey, the E. wing is of two storeys with attics and both have basements. At the first-floor level is a projecting brick band and the E. wing has a modillioned eaves-cornice of wood and a dormer-window with moulded cornice and curved pediment. Inside the building are two original staircases with moulded rails and twisted balusters.

^a(6). Fenton House, (Plate 65) formerly known as the Clock House, garden-wall, gate, etc., on W. side of the Grove, 80 yards N.N.W. of (5). The date, 1693, scratched on the upper part of one of the chimneys with the initials 'N.S.' and 'E.B,' together with a lead pump-head in the garden embossed with the same date suggest that the house was built in that year. The house is of two storeys with basement and attics, and is a complete and interesting example of a domestic building of the period. It is symmetrically designed and built on an almost square plan with a projecting wing at either end of the E. front connected on the ground-floor by an open loggia. The walls are of a brownish coloured brick with rubbed-brick dressings, and have plain projecting bands at the ground and first-floor levels and a wooden modillioned cornice at the eaves, carried up in a pediment over the middle of the S. front. The window-frames are set flush with the outer face of the walls and some have their original sashes. The roof is hipped and has flat-topped dormer-windows lighting the attics on the N. and S. fronts. On the E. front the loggia connecting the projecting wings has two Doric columns which support an entablature, and in the middle of the wall above is a brick recess with a blank circle in the centre which formerly contained a clock. The projecting wings are surmounted by modern balustrades and behind them are gabled projections from the main roofs, partly masked by the main chimney-stacks. On one chimney-stack besides the scratchings mentioned above is the date 1644. Inside the building the original plan is retained. The building of the four chimneystacks, one in each corner of the house, some few feet from the outer walls, is unusual, but allows of small cupboards or bays to be framed off each room. Most of the rooms are lined with moulded panelling and many of the original doors remain; some retain their old fittings. Most of the fireplaces have been replaced, but in the attics are two panelled overmantels and one fireplace with a bolection-moulded architrave. In the basement the former kitchen has the upper part of an old dresser with carved brackets to the shelves. The main staircase (Plate 6) has moulded strings and handrail, square newels and twisted balusters. The back staircase is similar but of slighter construction and has turned balusters.

At the S. end of the garden, set between two brick piers surmounted by stone cornices with carved ball-finials, is an elaborate wrought-iron grille with a central gate (Plate 66). An old wall surrounds the terraced garden to the N. of the house. In the garden is a sundial (probably imported), dated 1675, and a lead pump-head with the embossed date 1693.

^a(7). Old Grove House, on the E. side of the Grove, 20 yards N.E. of (6), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and E.; both wings were extended c. 1730. The E. wing and S. end of the main block are of three storeys, being carried one storey lower than the N. wing and fronting the garden, which is below the level of the street front. The windows to the original building have rubbed-brick dressings with segmental or flat arches and some retain their original frames and sashes. The doorway to the garden is flanked by Doric columns which support an entablature and pediment. A plain projecting brick band marks the floor-levels and at the eaves is a modillioned wood cornice. The roof is hipped and on the S. front has a lead flat in the middle with a wooden balustrade. Inside the building some of the rooms are lined with early 18th-century panelling. The cut string to the main staircase is old and on the topmost floor are a few twisted balusters with moulded handrail and plain string of c. 1700.

^b(8). Vine House, on the N. side of Hampstead Square, 130 yards N.E. of (7), is a symmetrically designed rectangular building with later additions on the N.E. At the first-floor level is a projecting brick band and at the eaves a modillioned wood cornice. The lower windows have segmental heads while those to the top floor have flat brick arches.

^a(9). Elm Lodge, house on S. side of Elm Grove, 80 yards E.S.E. of (7), is of three storeys with basement. It is symmetrically designed and built on a rectangular plan with a hipped roof; small one-storeyed additions have been made at either end of the house and the upper part of the walls and chimney-stacks have been rebuilt. The dressings are of moulded bricks; the windows have flat arches and at the floor-levels are plain projecting bands. On the N. elevation are two shaped rain-water heads. Inside the building many of the rooms are lined with original panelling, and one room on the first floor retains its original fireplace with a bolection-moulded architrave, deep frieze and moulded shelf. The walls of the staircase are panelled; the stairs have a cut string with shaped brackets at the ends of the risers, turned and twisted balusters grouped in fours to form newels at the half-landings, a column-shaped newel at the ground-floor, and moulded handrail; the balusters to the basement stairs are of heavier section; the stairs from the first to second floor are of mid 18th-century date.

^a(10). White Bear Inn, New End, 120 yards S.E. of Christ Church, is of two storeys with attics. It has been much altered and added to but has an original chimney-stack. On the N.W. front are two dormers with hipped roofs and in the middle of the wall is a small panel with the initials and date M.S. 1704.

^a(11). Burgh House, New End Square, 68 yards S.E. of (10), is of three storeys with a basement. It has been added to on the S.W. but remains a complete and almost unaltered house of early 18th-century date. The S.E. front of the house is slightly narrower than the back which has two projecting wings extending towards the N.W. The windows are square-headed but with the exception of one in the back block all have modern frames and sashes. The entrance-doorway has a projecting hood with a modillioned cornice. The front block has a modillioned wooden cornice and plain brick string-courses marking the floorlevels. Inside the building, the rooms on the ground and upper floors are lined with plain panelling and have moulded cornices. The cornice round three sides of the hall is carved and some of the rooms have carved friezes.

High Street. N.E. side

^a(12). House and Shop (No. 36), 100 yards S.E. of Heath Street, is of three storeys with attics. It has been much altered but retains its original wooden eaves-cornice.

^a(13). Two Houses, now shop (Nos. 25 and 26), 80 yards S.E. of (12), is of three storeys with attics but has been much altered. The front has an original modillioned eaves-cornice. Inside the building some of the rooms on the upper floor have plain panelling and one room retains an original fireplace with plain bolection-moulded architrave. The staircases in both houses have turned balusters, moulded rails and shaped strings.

^a(14). Old Bank House (No. 14), house and shop, 60 yards E. of (13), is of two storeys with basement and attics. It is a rectangular building of mid 17th-century date to which modern additions have been made at the back and a shop added in front. At the back the brickwork is exposed and at the first-floor level is a plain brick band. The windows have segmental arches and flush-frames. Inside the building the upper part of the staircase is original and is built round a square well. It is of massive design and has turned balusters, moulded string and handrail and square newels with ballfinials. The lower part of the staircase is of early 18th-century date and has twisted balusters, circular newel and plain panelled dado.

^a(15). King of Bohemia, inn, 15 yards E. of (14), was built possibly as part of that building but has been completely altered.

S.W. side:—

^a(16). House and Shop (No. 68), opposite (12), is of three storeys with attics and basement. At the back are modern additions. The front wall has a projecting brick band at the level of the second floor; the windows have rubbed - brick quoins, flat brick arches, and old frames; in the roof are two flat-topped dormers. Inside the building, the front room on the first floor has plain original panelling, with a moulded wood cornice. The staircase is original and has a panelled dado, turned balusters and moulded string and handrail; the lower flight appears to have been rearranged.

^a(17). House and Shop (No. 73), 35 yards S. of (16), is of three storeys with attics and basement. It has been added to and altered. The front wall has a plain brick parapet and a projecting brick band at the level of the second floor. The windows have flat brick arches and flush frames which are probably original. The dormer-windows have flat tops. Inside the building, one of the rooms is panelled to the full height of the room and has a moulded cornice.

^a(18). House (No. 74), adjoining (17) on the S.E., is of three storeys with basement and attics. The front wall is plastered and has a plain parapet; on the back wall is a wooden eaves-cornice. In the front of the roof is a flat-topped dormer, that at the back is hipped and gabled.

^a(19). House and Shop (No. 75), adjoining and similar to (18), has had the ground-floor altered. Inside the building one of the rooms has a moulded cornice and a small corner-cupboard with pilasters having moulded caps and archivolt. The staircase has a plain panelled dado, moulded string and handrails, square newels and twisted balusters of 18th-century date.

^a(20). Row of Houses and Shops (Nos. 79 to 81), 50 yards S.E. of (19), is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered. It has been much altered.

^a(21) House (Nos. 82 and 83), now two tenements, 5 yards S.E. of (20). At the floor-levels are plain projecting bands of rubbed bricks and the front windows have quoins of lighter coloured bricks and flat arches; the side windows have segmental heads. Along the S. half of the main front is a moulded eaves-cornice which returns partly along the S.E. wall but the N. half of the main front has a plain parapet; the roof is hipped. On the S.E. front is a mullioned and transomed window but the others have hung sashes, all modern, except one, though most of the frames are probably original. The two original rooms on the ground-floor of No. 82 are lined with original panelling and have moulded cornices and dado rails. There is an original staircase in No. 83 with moulded strings and handrail, square newels and twisted balusters. Some of the upper rooms have moulded cornices and some original panelled doors remain.

^a(22). Stanfield House, at corner of High Street and Prince Arthur Road, 30 yards S.W. of (21), is of three storeys and basements and has later additions on the N.W. and S.W. The front elevation has plain projecting brick bands at the floor-levels and an eaves-cornice; the windows to the ground and first floors have segmental arches; those to the top floor are flat; the S.E. wall is covered with cement. Inside the building, the entrance-hall is panelled and the staircase is approached through an elliptical arch with key-block and panelled imposts with moulded caps. The lower stairs to the basement have a continuous string and moulded handrail, square newel-posts and slender turned balusters. In the ceiling of the kitchen is a large exposed beam; the wide fireplace has a moulded architrave and moulded shelf above.

Rosslyn Hill. N.E. side

^a(23). Houses (Nos. 14 and 16), 360 yards S.E. of (15), are of three storeys and basement. They were built in 1702 on a rectangular plan under one roof with symmetrical elevations; later additions have been built on the N.W. and N.E. and bay windows to the lower part of the S.W. front. The elevations have moulded brick bands at the floorlevels and a modillioned eaves-cornice; the dressings are of rubbed brick. The windows to the three lower floors have segmental brick arches; those to the top floor are square-headed; some retain their old sashes. On the N.E. and S.W. fronts the windows to the southernmost house are blocked. In the S.W. wall are two stone tablets, one inscribed W.R./S. May 7th 1702, the other M./Z.R. 1702. Inside the building both houses have original staircases (Plate 6) with panelled dados, moulded strings and handrails and turned balusters. The hall to the southernmost house is panelled and has a wood cornice. Some of the rooms have original panelled window-shutters, doors and moulded architraves.

^a(24). George Inn, 380 yards S.E. of (23), is of two storeys. The walls are of brick covered with cement. It has been added to and much altered.

Church Row. N. side:—

(25). House, No. 5, about 110 yards E. of the church, is partly of weather-boarded timber-framing. The front of the ground-floor is faced with boarding in imitation of rusticated ashlar; the floors above have a large three-sided bay-window of weather-boarded timber-framing. Inside the building the front room has original panelling. The early 18th-century staircase has slender turned balusters, square newels and moulded rails and strings. The upper rooms have plain panelling.

(26). Row of three houses, No. 6, 7 and 8, W. of (25), is brick-faced and has flush frames to the windows; the doorways are all of mid 18th-century date. No. 8 has moulded brick bands between the storeys and the gate has wrought-iron standards and a scrolled overthrow.

(27). House, No. 9, W. of (26), is of brick with a band between the first and second storeys and a later parapet. The front is symmetrically arranged but has a later doorway. The gate has scrolled standards and overthrow of wrought-iron. Inside the building several rooms have original panelling but the staircase is of later date. In the basement is a dresser with shaped ends and above a cupboard is a range of flat shaped balusters.

(28). House, No. 10, W. of (27), has a brick front with moulded bands between the storeys. The doorway has two carved brackets to the hood. Inside the building most of the rooms are panelled. The staircase appears to be of later date but the upper flights have close moulded strings.

(29). House, No. 12, about 10 yards W. of (28), has a front of brick with moulded bands between the storeys, pilasters at the sides with entablatures and the main cornice continued across the front. The windows have aprons, heads, and reveals of rubbed brick. Inside the building several of the rooms are panelled.