Number 22 And Attached Railings

This is a terraced town house, originally dating back to approximately 1742, with significant alterations made around the 1840s and further refurbishment in 1881 by R Fabian Russell (of Osborne & Russell) for the Reverend Sir William Lionel Darell, with later changes by Gerald Horsley. The building is constructed of stucco, with channelled detailing on the ground floor. It has a slated mansard roof with pedimented dormers. There are four storeys, an attic, and a basement, and the house has three windows facing the street. A projecting Doric portico with fluted columns and an enriched frieze is surmounted by two dies, and an elaborate cast iron balcony is attached to the first-floor windows. The ground floor features a shallow bay window with three sashes. Architraved sashes are present on the upper floors; the first floor has console bracketed cornices, and the second floor has cornices that form part of a continuous, subsidiary cornice. A projecting cornice runs along the eaves. Attached cast iron railings with spearhead finials are present around the areas.

The interior retains some mid-18th century panelling, dado rails, and cornices. The lobby features false mirrored doors and Corinthian pilasters (possibly dating to the 18th century), leading to a hall proper, which is now partly partitioned. A Jacobethan carved oak chimney piece and overmantle, featuring female caryatids flanking the fireplace, is present in the partitioned section of the hall. A plaster ceiling with a Tudor-style, compartmentalised design is also visible. A florid Jacobethan staircase, set in a prominent position, has a pierced wooden balustrade with a foliate design, urns on the newel posts, and a panelled dado. The staircase rises to the second floor via two stages, comprising 14 and 13 steps, with a half landing. The front ground floor room has plain panelling, a dado rail, a dentil cornice (possibly 18th century) and a compartmentalised ceiling similar to the hall. A mid-19th century French-style marble fireplace with a mask in the frieze is situated in this room. The rear dining room, now with a false ceiling, was built to emulate a Jacobean Great Hall, featuring pilastered walls and a coved timber ceiling with beams forming compartments, which are top-lit. Curved ribs at the angles incorporate carved male caryatid figures, while others have mask corbels. A similar chimney piece and overmantle is believed to be present in this room, although it is concealed behind a recent partition.

First-floor doors to the staircase have been altered, and French-style doors are found internally. The front room on the first floor has predominantly Louis XIV style decoration; however, the cornice may be original to the 18th century. The back room is partitioned and also features French-style mirrored frames and doors. A white carved marble fireplace with festoons in the frieze may be from the 18th century. There is also a rear closet wing with a coved cornice. The second floor retains a plain 18th century cornice over the stairs and some original doors, with the back staircase continuing from this level. The building’s original closet wing is also present.