Holcombe House

Holcombe House is a villa built around 1775 to 1778 for Sir John Anderson, a merchant from the City of London who became Lord Mayor in 1797. The architect was John Johnson. The building is constructed of brick faced with stucco and has two storeys. The entrance front features three bays, with a central entrance highlighted by a semi-circular porch. The ground floor is rusticated, with semi-circular openings on either side of the entrance, a plain panel, and a flat-arched window. Above, there are three pairs of fluted pilasters separating three flat-arched windows, topped with a shallow modillion cornice and a balustraded parapet.

On the garden front, the house has two storeys plus a lower ground floor and five bays. The central ground floor window is now used as a door, with flat-arched windows throughout, taller on the ground floor. The balustraded parapet is interrupted by three flat-topped dormers.

Inside, the elliptical entrance hall features a cantilevered staircase with an elegant wrought iron 'S' scroll balustrade and a moulded wooden handrail. The former dining room showcases fine Adamesque plasterwork, including Grecian-style stucco figures within almond-shaped frames, and similar detailing can be found in the library.

Historically, in 1866, the house and grounds were acquired by Herbert Vaughn, who later became Archbishop of Westminster, and he established a missionary college there. In 1871, the property was transferred to the Franciscan Sisters of the Regular Third Order, who staffed a school for girls. Today, Holcombe House is part of the Catholic School of St Mary's Abbey and is surrounded by later associated buildings.