The Hearne

This is a villa dating to approximately 1828-32, built for Alexander Nicholson of East Court. Later alterations were made in the early 20th century (around 1919), including interior work and the addition of a study designed by HH Martyn and Company, Architectural Craftsmen. A further late 20th-century restoration followed. The house is constructed of stucco over brick, with a slate roof. A continuous cornice and parapet runs along the roofline, punctuated by dormer gables – two to the south and two to the east. The gables are topped with panelled finials, with poppyheads on the south side. Chimneys with cornices rise from the outer gables on the east side; further chimneys are on the north side. A decorative finial with poppyhead and a carved head is centrally located on the east parapet, while the south parapet features a central sundial with a shaped surround.

The villa is two storeys with an attic. It has a Tudor-Gothic style, with a symmetrical arrangement of windows. The south side has one window, followed by three, while the east side has three windows. The windows are wooden mullioned casements with cusped Tudor-arched heads, incorporating marginal glazing bars within chamfered surrounds and drip stones. French windows are located on the ground floor to the south, and transomed windows are present on the east side. A prominent porte-cochere projects from the east side, featuring a canopy with traceried panelling and cresting supported on slender, clustered piers. The entrance door is half-glazed and panelled in a 'Tudor' style, with four stained-glass panels above, set within a four-centre-arched surround with headstops; the panels are reputed to depict Elizabeth I and Lord Burleigh. The original conservatory is located on the south side, with a gable at each end featuring decorative tracery, and a central section with cusped lights. The conservatory roof has been restored.

The interior includes early 20th-century alterations, such as panelling and plasterwork. The dining room’s plasterwork is reported to be a copy of designs used at Hampton Court, appearing in a Neo-Georgian style. The study retains small panelling. The house was built on the site of an earlier property; Alexander Nicholson mortgaged it in 1833 to William Baylis. In 1919, AW Martyn (son of HH Martyn) purchased the house.