Donhead House

DONHEAD ST. ANDREW ST. BARTHOLOMEWS STREET ST 92 NW (west side)

4/13 Donhead House

GV II

Rectory, now training centre for Brewers' Society. Early C18, altered 1892 for Horace Chapman, probably by C.E. Ponting, and enlarged early C20, for James Pender. Dressed limestone, tiled roof, ashlar stacks with moulded cappings. L-plan C18 house with additions to north and east. Two-storey, 5-windowed C18 south-west front has late C19 glazed door in projecting centre bay with Gibbs surround and flat stone hood on consoles, either side is early C20 canted bay with plate glass sashes, first floor has two 12-pane sashes in moulded architraves with keystones either side of central round-arched sash with keystone and imposts to shouldered architrave, open pediment over, wooden cornice with rosettes, chanelled rusticated quoins, attic has three early C20 dormers with casements. Coped verges to roof. Attached to left is late C19 range in similar style with 2-storey canted bay and sashes, French windows with large shell hood, gabled attic to left. Right return has external stack and blocked sashes, 1890s three-storey porch in Elizabethan style with round-arched doorway and mullioned windows, square bay to right with mullioned and transomed windows, first floor has two 12-pane sashes, cast-iron rainwater heads dated HC/1892. Left return of 1890s range has sashes in moulded architraves, large stack with carved panel inscribed HC and AM, attached to left is early C20 billiard room with loggia on south sides. Rear 2-storey service wing with sashes, 1890s additions. Interior: Some original C18 fittings including full fielded panelling and door with 6 fielded panels and dentilled ceiling cornice in south east drawing room. Dining room has reset C16 moulded cross-beams with rosettes and, cusped decoration, reset C17 panelling in corridors and 1890s range. 1890s open well stairs top-lit by glazed lantern. House ceased to be rectory in 1891 when Horace Chapman converted to private residence and built a new rectory, Beauchamp House (q.v.) further up the hill. Anthony Eden lived here for a year following the Suez Crisis of 1956.

Listing NGR: ST9141724836