48, Farquhar Road

A house of 1898, designed by the architect William Henman for himself.

The building is constructed of red brick that is partially pebble-dashed, with accents created by exposed brickwork, and has a plain tile roof. It comprises two storeys with an attic and basement. The design is conceived to be viewed in the round, both externally and internally, with principal architectural effects created by viewing two fronts together or as one interior space connects with another. The slope of the site means that the basement is not visible on the entrance front (east side) but is apparent on the flanks and garden front (west).

The entrance front has two bays with pebble-dash render to the first floor and brick quoins at the corners and on either side of the first-floor windows. A canted bay window to the right and a projecting porch at the left are combined beneath a lean-to roof. The porch has a low wall on which rest two miniature Tuscan columns with emphatic entasis. Immediately to the left of the porch is a triangular bay window lighting the cloakroom. At first floor level is a two-light casement to the right and a four-light casement further right, whilst the attic has a gabled four-light dormer to the centre with bands of fish-scale tiling to the gable. To the left is a wall shielding the service court with a door and bell pull.

The south front is symmetrical and has projecting gabled wings to either side, with projecting chimney breasts at their centres. The central recess contains twentieth-century French windows to the centre with a cambered head and arched windows at either side to the base of the lateral gabled wings. At first floor level is a three-light casement, and a further three-light window, the centre of which consists of a miniature triangular oriel capped by a diamond-shaped candle-snuffer roof.

The east face has three bays, with the left bay set at a higher level than those to its right, which are at mezzanine levels. To the left is a generous triangular bay window serving basement and first floor levels. The basement has round-arched openings with a three-light window to the right and a porch at the left giving access to the Work Room. Above this the bay is glazed with eight replacement casements lighting the present sitting room, formerly the dining room. There is a hipped roof above this bay and a four-light casement to the first floor with a gabled dormer to the attic. The central bay has a low three-light basement window, above which is the four-light kitchen window, and above this again a three-light bedroom window with a miniature triangular oriel. To the right is a twentieth-century gabled porch at ground floor level with a two-light window above it.

The north flank has a tripartite arrangement with gabled wings to the right and left (that at left projecting, that to right recessed and with a superimposed chimneystack). Both gables are tile-hung. Between them is a polygonal staircase turret which has mullioned windows to its first and second floors and a hipped roof.

The interior is constructed around a series of angled spaces giving dynamism to the plan, including a hexagonal staircase hall and bedroom hall at ground and first floor levels, angled and canted bays, oriels, and the polygonal staircase turret. A front door with glazed upper panel leads to a panelled entrance lobby and then through to a hall which also has painted panelling and incorporates a settle to three sides. The north wall has three square-headed windows with deep angled reveals and arched heads, one set directly above a central fireplace.

The polygonal staircase hall contains a Neo-Georgian staircase with moulded tread ends, circular newels and vase-and-column balusters with a ramped handrail. To one side of the door of the former dining room is a low fitted cupboard whose back can be accessed from the kitchen at counter height, allowing food to be passed through.

The sitting room, formerly the dining room, has a deep ingle nook with bressumer and tiled surround with marble slips, a recessed central alcove and bookshelves. The former drawing room, now the dining room on the west of the house, has a mahogany fire surround with mirrored overmantel incorporating alcoves and shelves, a dentilled cornice with suspended paterae.

The study has a plan chest fitted in one angled corner with nine drawers. The kitchen is at a lower level than the other ground floor rooms and walls have been removed to incorporate the former scullery and pantry into a single space.

The half-landing on the staircase has fitted cupboards below the windows and a moulded ceiling with paterae and a circular panel. The bedroom lobby is hexagonal, mirroring the form of the staircase hall below. The upper landing has a screen of miniature Tuscan columns and leaded windows with stained glass quarries and wrought iron handles.

The house was built in 1898 and signed drawings by the architect exist in the property. These show that Henman had a study at ground floor level, with a fitted plan chest to one angled wall, and a Work Room in the basement with a separate entrance, which may have been for office use. The house appears to have been called Dingwall from the start.