St Martins House

St Martin's-le-Grand TQ 3281 (east side) 9/557 No 16 (St. Martins House)

GV II

Office building. 1925, by Leo Sylvester Sullivan, carved details by Henry Poole. Steel-framed, faced in Portland stone; stone-coped mansard roof. Stripped classical style, with Graeco-Egyptian details. 10 storeys and attics; 7-bay range. Slightly projecting 3-bay portico, with Greek Doric columns and palm-leaf carvings to soffit of cornice. Giant order of Tuscan piers rises 9 storeys to frieze carved with Greek key ornament. Revealed windows with decorative metal aprons, the 3 central windows to fourth storey having urn designs. Attic storey has square-headed casement windows; palm- leaf carvings to soffit of boldly projecting cornice.

Rear elevation (33 Foster Lane) is in similar style with plain trademen's entry and Tuscan piers to 3 middle floors. Interior: entrance lobby has carved rosettes to coffered ceiling, Tuscan pilasters, carved acroteria to classical door architraves and mahogany doors. Two marble Greek Doric columns to hall. Hall and landings above have coffered decorative plaster ceilings, panelled walls and neo-classical doorcase. Open-well staircase with ramped mahogany handrail set on carved and turned balusters.

Listing NGR: TQ3216281338