352, KEW ROAD

House, the centre of a symmetrical terrace of three. Late 18th century (after 1771) and early 19th century, altered in the later 19th century. Built by the Engleheart family. Formerly known as Heathfield House, and at various times listed as Park House, Adam House, and Burnage.

The building is constructed of brick with stucco rendering; stock brick is visible at the rear. It has a tiled mansard roof with slate lean-to extensions and a tiled catslide. The structure rises to three storeys over a basement.

The symmetrical facade comprises three bays. The doorcase features slender debased Ionic pilasters, a frieze with figure brackets, and a central embellished panel beneath a blind fanlight with plasterwork fan above Leda and the Swan. The door itself is of six raised and fielded panels with L hinges, and was formerly sheltered by a splayed roofed porch. Canted flat-roofed bay windows with horned sashes occupy the ground floor. The first floor is marked by a plain storey band. Upper floors have near flush horned sashes; the first floor windows to left and right have shallow aprons with rendered cills at second floor level. A rendered parapet with cornice band crowns the facade.

The rear elevation has been extended to the right under a slate roof forming a near continuous roof at first floor across the building. Beyond stands a ground floor extension also under slate roof, with French windows of late 19th-century date featuring margin glazing, partly replacing earlier openings. To the left, former kitchens sit beneath a tiled catslide roof with a three-light casement, now linked to what was a single storey bakehouse. A central greenhouse with small paned sashes and slender glazing bars is depicted in Walter Deverell's mid-19th-century painting The Pet. A former rear door retains part-glazed small paned sashes with slender glazing bars beneath an overlight, above a reeded lintel. The first floor contains a two-light casement to the left, a tall central landing window with small panes and slender moulded glazing bars, and single and two-light casements to the right. Full height dormers—one with a single light, one with a two-light horizontal sliding sash—pierce the roof. A large stack sits on the rear roof, partly rebuilt, with gable end stacks.

Interior: A pine stair with painted balusters and a closed string dog-leg plan features turned newels on square bases, rectangular stick balusters, and a moulded rail. The rear hall is decorated with a palm frond cornice and paired brackets.

The dining room (right) has windows flanked by pilasters with anthemion relief capitals, with a similar opposing alcove at the rear. A trailing vine leaf dado rail runs the room's length. The alcove wall to the left of the chimneypiece is horizontally boarded. The plasterwork ceiling is said to be by Francis Engleheart (possibly the son of Thomas), inspired by Adam design. It features a central painted circular panel, dated circa 1800 and later restored, depicting a mythical pastoral scene, with radiating panels and rectangular outer panels all in low relief.

The drawing room (left) has a fluted window architrave and a rear doorway flanked by pilasters with anthemion capitals. A tall plain frieze is punctuated by rosettes with husked garlands above a plain blind fanlight, beneath an anthemion cornice. Both front rooms have vertically sliding shutters. Ground floor doors throughout are of six panels with moulded astragals.

The rear ground floor contains a carved mantlepiece with an iron duck's nest grate, said to have been brought down from the upper floor. Kitchen cupboards date to the 19th century but reuse earlier fabric. The lobby retains a former rear window. The rear door is of two panels with replaced strap hinges. Upper floor doors are of four or two panels; an attic closet door retains L hinges. Plain timber mantelpieces with moulded architraves are found throughout, with a 19th-century grate in the attic bedroom. Shutters remain to the first floor front rooms.

Historical context: The house was built by the Engleheart family. Francis Engleheart's sons included Thomas (1745–1786), the sculptor, and George (1752–1839), miniature painter to George III. The Englehearts owned the house until circa 1885. From 1850 to 1853 it was home to Walter Deverell (1827–1854), the Pre-Raphaelite artist, and provided the setting for his painting A Pet, now in the Tate Gallery. It was later the home of Mrs Bonavia and the setting for her portrait by Henry Lamb R.A., painted in 1916.