St John'S Lodge

TQ 2882 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER INNER CIRCLE, REGENT'S PARK, NW1 25/1 St John's Lodge 5.2.70 G.V. II* Villa. 1818-19 by John Raffield for C A Tulk; alterations by Decimus Burton 1831-32 (for Lord Wellesley);with extended wings, entrance screen and attic storey and interior redecoration, by Charles Barry with Ambrose Poynter 1846-48 (for the banker Isaac Goldsmith); further interior alterations and decoration for the 3rd Marquis of Bute 1892-c1895 by R Weir with H W Londsdale and landscaping by Weir Schultz. One of the four surviving villas in Nash's Regent's Park layout. Stucco; slate roof. Grecian villa elaborated as Italianate "casina" by Barry. Barry's wings extend to form east entrance forecourt. 2 and 3 storeys. 5 windows wide, with 3-bay entrance front between wings and west front with central bow. Ground floor and entrance screened by colonnaded loggia developed as large Venetian porch to centre, framed by panelled piers with pediment overall rising into upper floors. Architraved and corniced 1st floor windows in slightly advanced flanking bays and 2 windows to centre in attic storey. Main cornice over 2nd floor and attic cornice and blocking course. The boldly modelled l½ storey former library and ballroom wings are channelled; with Venetian windows to their east ends, relief panels above impost string to corners and circular bust-niches in spandrels; impost string returned below blind consoled oculi to sides; plinth and bold crowning cornice with urn-capped dies to parapet. The west front has original (but heightened) giant pilastered bow to centre, with architraved windows. Interesting interior, despite alterations, with elements of Raffield's work (Soanian vestibule) but principally Barry's and Poynter's, in rich Cinquecento style, the ballroom frescoed grotesques obliterated but Poynter's chimneypiece and the double doors intact; central saloon-hall with galleries by Barry but unfinished frescoes of the signs of the Zodiac by H W Londsdale who also elaborated painted decoration of central rooms for Lord Bute; Weir Schultz staircase and library annexe (his circular chapel demolished); etc. The formal "Dutch" or "Old English" garden on the entrance axis east of the wings may be part of Weir Schultz's landscaping for Lord Bute. Country Life; July 11 1968.

Listing NGR: TQ2822282794