De Walden Court (Little De Walden And Big De Walden)

This is a large house, originally two properties – No. 53 (Big De Walden) built in 1884 and No. 51 (Little De Walden) added in 1892 – and later converted into flats since the 1920s. Designed by Frederick G Cooke and Arthur E Thompson for Lady Howard de Walden, it is an impressive building in an Italianate style, reportedly inspired by Chatsworth House. The house is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond, with sandstone dressings. Brick and stone chimneys rise above a parapet that conceals the roof.

The front of the building is three storeys high with a basement, and features 12 windows. Little De Walden is distinguished by a sandstone canted bay window that extends through all floors. It has a balustraded parapet and a modillion eaves cornice. The sash windows have moulded architraves, and the lower floors are accentuated by cornices and brackets. The ground floor windows have octagonal panes. The doorcase mirrors the window panes in its upper panels and is flanked by sidelights with octagonal panes. A single-storey addition with a glazed rooflight sits to the left. Big De Walden incorporates a recessed square tower of one bay, and a section with a recessed centre of four bays, with the central two ground floor windows set in a square bay. A sandstone canted bay provides light through all floors. Additional features include a balustraded parapet, a modillion eaves cornice, moulded architraves to the windows, brackets and cornices to the lower windows, and a single-storey wing of one bay to the right, positioned in front of the side elevation. An additional sandstone canted bay extends through all floors.

The rear garden front is the most architecturally impressive, featuring a succession of full-height canted bays, brick terraces with stone balustraded parapets, stone steps and urns, and a colonnade of seven stone pillars and three brick and stone arches, with a cast iron pump.

The interior of the principal rooms retains original fittings from the period. Little De Walden includes a panelled hall and a Drawing Room with full-height linenfold panelling. The former library has a wooden fireplace with a reeded frieze, strapwork pilasters, a marble surround, and a linenfold panelled overmantel. Big De Walden features a pentagonal panelled vestibule with a marble patterned floor. An unusual oak winding staircase has a lantern attached to the newel post and shallow treads designed to accommodate Lady de Walden's short legs. The staircase is enclosed by panelled walls and features an oval dome. The Drawing Room has an elaborate fireplace constructed from three colours of marble, with a diamond pattern to the frieze and Corinthian pilasters. The cornice consists of swags, urns, and paterae. Both sections of the building retain the original heating system, concealed within decorative oak chests.