The Ruins Of Old Buckingham House

The Ruins of Old Buckingham House is a building designed by the Worthing architect John Rebecca, son of Biagio Rebecca, in 1820. It was burned around 1910, leaving only the shell of the structure, with the east and south walls made safe and the windows bricked up. The north and west sides are now formed by the block of flats known as Nos 1 to Woodview Court. The building is two storeys tall and features three windows on the east and three on the south, constructed of white brick. Each front is flanked by twin stone pilasters with decorative capitals adorned with rosettes. There is a stone cornice and blocking course with acroteria above the pilasters. The first-floor windows are set in stone surrounds, while the ground floor outer windows have semi-circular tympana with niches in the centre containing shells. The central bay of the east front projects and is flanked by free-standing pseudo-Corinthian columns that rise through both storeys, with additional rosettes on the caps. Above this is an elaborate frieze featuring ox-heads and swags, along with a tall parapet set between vases. On the south front, the central ground floor features a curved bay that contains a doorway and sidelights. The house is mentioned in George Moore's novel, "Esther Waters."