19, Hill Street W1

This is a terraced town house located on Hill Street, Westminster, built around 1748-49 by Benjamin Timbrell. It is part of a matching pair, similar in design to number 17. The house is constructed of brown brick with a slate roof and extends over four storeys, a basement, and has dormered mansard accommodation. It has a four-window frontage. A projecting porch with Doric columns and an open pediment is situated to the right. The windows are recessed sash windows, with taller windows on the first floor, all set beneath flat, gauged arches. A plat band and cornice extend continuously with number 17. Balconettes are present on the first floor, and wrought iron area railings with urn finials are at street level.

The interior, largely intact thanks to Timbrell's original design, includes a front staircase compartment featuring an elegant wrought iron balustrade to stone stairs leading to a first-floor gallery landing. The walls are panelled in a style reminiscent of Kent, and were decorated with painted scenes by Rex Whistler in 1930. Principal rooms retain original or reset moulded cornices and Palladian doorcases, along with some original chimney pieces.

Numbers 17 and 19 were originally built to mirror each other’s plans, and were leased by Abraham Hume, the 1st Baronet, before being inherited by his son.