Birch Grove House

The description for the following building shall be amended:

BOASTED KEYNES CHELWOOD GATE TQ 43 SQ 8/450 Birchgrove House - II

Large house built in 1926 in Queen Anne style for Maurice and Helen Macmillan, the parents of Harold Macmillan who became Prime Minister and subsequently Lord Stockton. The house was the home of Harold Macmillan and his family for some 60 years including the period during which he was Prime Minister. Distinguished; visitors who stayed at the house include General de Gaulle and, J.F. Kennedy.

The house is not of special architectural interest. It is included in the list only because of it's special historical interest.

The list was previously amended in respect of this entry on 25 October 1988.

------------------------------------ The following building shall be added to the list: HORSTED KEYNES CHELWOOD GATE TQ 43 SW 8/450 Birch Grove House II

Large house. Built in 1926 by John Cash for Maurice and Helen Macmillan, the parents of Lord Stockton, in Queen Anne style. Built of brown brick with orange brick dressings and ashlar quoins and cornice. Mansard slate roof with 2 panelled brick chimneystacks. 2 storeys and attics 9 windows. Principal front facing south east has 2 end bays on each side projecting slightly. Tall French-type mansard roof with tripartite pedimented dormers over the wings. Centre has 1 12 pane sash with pediment above and 2 tripartite windows with curved pediments over. Wide moulded stone eaves cornice and end quoins. Windows are 12 pane sashes with moulded architraves and orange brick surrounds with keystones to ground floor windows and elaborate brick aprons throughout. Central stone doorcase with curved pediment elaborate console brackets rectangular fanlight with circular motif and double glazed door. Entrance front to north west has 6 windows, 2 projecting 3 storey towers have raised stone panels above coping flanked by console brackets. 1 window each, attic storey windows flanked by blank round-headed niches and ground floor windows have cambered heads. Between these towers are 3 windows, with 2 triangular and 1 curved pediment to attic storey and the towers are linked at ground floor level by a stone loggia with 6 Tuscan columns. The interior has elaborate early C18 style modillion cornices and a well staircase with turned balusters and mahogany handrail but there are also genuine early C18doorcases and chimney-pieces from Devonshire House in Piccadilly(demolished in 1920s). The Dining Room hasa fine C18 marble fireplace with engaged Tuscan columns, raised panel with urn and swags and cast iron fire grate. Included as the house of Harold Macmillan a former Prime Minister.Distinguished visitors who stayed here included Gen De Gaulle, Eisenhower, Khrushchev, Nehru and J F Kennedy. -

Listing NGR: TQ4100430470