74, South Audley Street W1

TQ 2880 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER SOUTH AUDLEY 79/23 STREET, Wl 30.3.17 No. 74 G.V. II* Terraced town house. 1736 by Edward Shepherd, alterations in 1830s and 1880s and refronting by Balfour and Turner in 1908. Portland stone, slate roof. Subtle reworking of Georgian elevational theme but with distinctive Balfour and Turner Arts and Crafts details. 3 storeys, basement and attic storey. 3 windows wide but the front composed in two parts. The right hand part, slightly recessed, has prominent square pier porch to right and ground floor window flanked by pilasters; 2 windows on 1st floor segmental arched and recessed for one order with eyebrowed cornices, plain recessed lintelled sashes above. The left hand part, one window wide, has tripartite windows of Venetian derivation to ground and 1st floors, the ground floor one altered to entrance. Both parts of front are articulated by giant Doric pilasters through 1st and 2nd floors carrying entablature across front, attic with balustraded parapet. Continuous wrought iron balcony to 1st floor carried out over porch. Interior, its plan interlocking with No. 75, retaining exceptional plasterwork ceilings of c.1740, 4 on the ground floor and 2 on 1st floor, several deeply coved and of particular note that in rear left ground floor room and the ceiling and upper walls of the stair compartment (the stairs proper Edwardian) - all work by Shepherd. From 1747 to 1829 this house was the Portuguese Embassy. Survey of London; Vol. XL.

Listing NGR: TQ2838980416