Paradise Row, north side: No. 41 (formerly) Queen's Road West

XXI.—Formerly No. 41 QUEEN'S ROAD WEST (PARADISE ROW).

This house, which stood on the north side of the road next but one to the eastern corner of Christchurch Street, was of early date and probably one of the original buildings of Paradise Row. It, and its fellow, stood back a considerable distance from the street, and shops belonging to them had been built on the intervening space. The shop-front of No. 41 has been thought worthy of inclusion here on account of the persistent tradition that ascribed its design to Pugin. We learn from Mr. William Ascroft, whose family resided in Paradise Row for a very long period, that a carpenter employed by Pugin lived here, and must, in all likelihood, have built the front. Although it is conceivable that the man may have put together various details of Pugin's in a design of his own, yet it seems more probable that he had some hints from the great architect, who himself lived for a short time in Cheyne Walk, having remodelled for Mr. Harrington Moore one of the old houses, which was thereafter called Gothic House. (fn. 1) Of the credibility of the report the reader may judge for himself by his estimation of the skill or otherwise of the design. The house and shop have been pulled down in the recent clearance of the north-west side of Royal Hospital Road (1903), and with them have gone all the other varied and picturesque buildings which are shown in Mr. W. W. Burgess' sketch in the Chelsea Public Library.

In the committee's ms. collection are—

3164. General view from south-west (photograph).
3165. Shop front from south-west (photograph).
3166. Shop front, front view (photograph).
3167. (fn. 2) Shop front, front view (line drawing).