Belmont House

Belmont House is a house dating from circa 1835, with extensions added circa 1855-1860. The external walls are rendered with a cement finish, and the roofs are covered in slate. The house is two storeys high on the road side, but has two storeys and a basement at the rear, set within a garden at a lower level.

The original section, built around 1835, is in the shape of a letter "L", with deep eaves and recessed sash windows. The north west front has three bays. A rectangular block, added in the 1850s, extends south east to form a larger letter "L" shape. A prominent entrance bay with a pediment is featured on the north east elevation. The windows are sash windows set within cement architraves, and have brackets under the sills. The entrance front has a central bay with pilasters, a pediment, consoles above the upper floor window, and an arched doorcase with moulded surrounds, all finished in cement render. A paved area in front of the side bays is enclosed by elaborate cast iron balustrades.

The south east gable has a canted bay window to the ground floor, with a sash window above. The garden front section of the 1850s block has a bay window at the right to both the basement and ground floor, with another sash window above. The original 1835 block section has two bays with recessed sash windows. A band course runs between the storeys of the 1850s block, and there are decorative brackets under the eaves. A low, entablatured wing projects from the north east front of the 1835 block, featuring angle pilasters, a band course, and a parapet.

The original north west front, with three bays, is positioned to the left. A doorway with a Doric porch is located to the left of the centre. Chimneys have entablatures.

Inside, two ground floor rooms in the 1835 block have high-quality Neo-Classical painted ceilings, featuring busts of Homer and Dante, as well as putti, vases, and foliage. The principal rooms of the 1850s section have grand marble fireplaces, cornices, original gilded plastered pelmets, an elaborate pedimented and swagged door surround, chair rails, and wall panels. The hallway is similarly decorated.

Belmont House was originally built for John Staples. A drawing of the house, dated 1835 and signed W Wyndham Esq, is in the possession of the current owner.