Avenue House

1. 774 CHURCH STREET (North Side)

No 20 (Avenue House) TL 0338 1/15 17.07.51.

II* GV

1. The C18 residence of the local brewer, John Morris, whose buildings carried out by Holland influenced local work for many years. 2 distinct abutting sections: the western built in 1775 and re-modelled by Holland, when he added the eastern in 1794. Western section: 2 storeys of brick capped by shallow stone cornice decorated with triglyphs below a plain reveal. Stone cills. 4 steps lead to central doorway in massive stone porch built in 1794. Tuscan columns support and architrave enriched with carving by George Garrard of foliage looped swags across rosettes and hanging from ribboned bows, beneath a moulded classical cornice. The door: 6 panels (11 fielded) beneath delicate fanlight stand between plain reveals of a round headed alcove, the spandrels of which are filled with a fluted fan motif. Eastern section, slightly uphill and of taller proportions, so that the levels of the windows do not follow those of the western section. Brick (2 storeys) with deeply projecting stone cornice, on whose soffit are groups of massed guttae, below a similar plant parapet and coping. Broad stone band above the ground floor windows and at same level as top member of stone porch in western section. 4 windows. Sir Albert Richardson, PRA, lived here 1919-64. See VCH page 268; CL.

Nos 12 to 32 (even) form a group.

Listing NGR: TL0355238180