20, 20A AND 21, WEST STREET

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 09/01/2013

SU 8346 NE 5/77 1099 26.4.50

WEST STREET (South East Side) Nos. 20, 20A and 21

(Formerly listed as Nos 20, 21 and 22)

II*

Shops and offices, formerly a house, C18 front to C17 or earlier timber-framed building refronted in red brick with tile hung gable. Tiled roof with 2 brick chimneystacks. 3 storeys; 3 windows. Second floor has 6-pane sashes. First floor has 9-pane sashes. Ground floor has C20 early C19 style bow shop front to No. 20A. No 21 has late C19 shop front and No 20 has central late C18 or early C19 pedimented doorcase with brackets and reeded pilasters. Left side elevation has 2 cambered casements and traces of C17 brickwork to 2 lower floors. Interior has some exposed framing to No 20. No 20A has to its ground floor a very fine plaster ceiling of c.1645-1655 whose design was commissioned by the Earl of Shaftesbury for a 'small drawing room' 20 feet by 40 feet in St Giles' house near Wimbourne in Dorset where it can still be seen. It is thought that the Earl wished to see how it would look before he went ahead with the commission so the plasterer agreed to do a half scale model in his own living room which was 20 feet by 10 feet. The ceiling which is of very deep profile, comprises a central oval panel with strapwork design, cherub, shells and 2 grotesque heads with feathers grasping a swag. Around this is a border of deeply carved fruit surrounded by oval guilloche moulding which branches into 3 panels each side and 2 at each end with brackets and circular design. A more rustic version of Inigo Jones' ceilings of the 1630s.

(See Country Life Article July 3rd 1942 and BOE Surrey p.239)

Listing NGR: SU8377146760