Frognal House

Frognal House, Frognal Avenue, Sidcup

Large country house with mainly 17th and 18th century external elevations, but containing older fragments inside, arranged around a courtyard.

The south range contains remains of a 15th century timber-framed building consisting of a 2-bay hall with a storeyed wing at the east end. A 16th century framed wing was added at the west end, extending into the west range. This is now cased in red brick of the late 17th century, with 2 main storeys, 11 sash windows with glazing bars (the right-hand pair being blind), a brick band course, moulded cornice and ramped parapet. A central doorway has a cornice on carved console brackets.

The east range is founded on a stone building of circa 1550, with the stone foundation surviving to water table level on the east front. This range was rebuilt in the 17th and early 18th centuries and now displays a fine red brick front with 2 storeys and 11 segmental-headed sash windows with glazing bars. The right-hand 2 windows are an addition from the time of the latest rebuilding. A central doorway has a flat hood on carved console brackets.

The north and west ranges are service quarters. The north range is brick on stone foundations similar to the east range. The west range is a 17th century brick casing of the 16th century timber-framed wing added to the original hall. Later additions to the north-west include a 19th century single-storey ballroom and a 19th century 2-storey range connecting the main house to a 5-window, 2-storey 18th century building in red brick.

The internal courtyard shows stone building surviving to first floor level on the east and north ranges, with fine galletted pointing. A 4-centred stone head surrounds the cellar door in the east range. Two blocked windows with stone surrounds remain: one in the upper wall of the original kitchen and the other over the original ground floor doorway in the north range. This doorway has pegged and chamfered wooden jambs. A staircase tower in the south-east corner of the courtyard contains an early 18th century staircase with fluted and turned balusters and carved tread-ends.

The east range contains a blocked original 16th century fireplace at the south end and an inserted 17th century chimney stack in the centre. On the first floor is an 8-bay gallery with raised and fielded panelling and a white marble bolection chimney piece between giant fluted Corinthian pilasters. Back stairs at the north end of the range are 17th century, originally lit by a now-blocked window with stone surround. The north range contains 2 original blocked fireplaces, a window with original wood surround and ferramenta on the north wall, and 2 original timber-framed partitions. The west room on the ground floor in the south range contains a bolection-moulded marble chimney piece.

The house was owned in the early 16th century by Markes Dyngley, whose will of 1550 refers to a new cellar and new chamber. An early 17th century owner, Sir William Watkins, is said to have improved the house. Subsequent owners included Sir Philip Warwick (died 1683), the Tryon family, and the Viscounts Sydney (the first Viscount died 1800). The house became a hospital in 1917 and consent for use as offices was given in 1980.