Monkton House

Monkton House is a substantial detached house built in 1902, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. In the 1930s, external and internal alterations were made for Edward James by Kit Nicholson and Hugh Casson, with contributions from Salvador Dali. The house features a mix of brick and stucco, with a hipped roof adorned with polychrome glazed tiles. It is two storeys high, with a south-west front that has five main bays; the central three bays are recessed and constructed of brick, with some weatherboarding and sleeping galleries on the first floor. These galleries are supported by Lutyens' stacked tile Ionic columns and feature loggia balustrades with carved plumes. The outer bays have stuccoed square-headed windows with flushed frames, while the central windows are architraved. The upstairs windows in the outer bays have aprons designed to resemble hanging drapery, and all windows contain plate glass.

Four pairs of slender palm tree columns rise through both the ground and first floors, flanking the projecting bays and supporting drain pipes. These columns are said to have originated from the Pantheon in Oxford Street, which was demolished around that time. The house also has pointed stuccoed chimneys, one of which features a clock face and another an inset mirror. Other facades of the house are also of architectural interest. The rear elevation showcases strip pilasters in the Adam style, which may have come from the Adelphi, another building that was demolished at that time.

Inside, the house retains the complete decorative scheme created by Nicholson, Casson, and Dali, including a curved staircase, wall fabrics, capitonné wall coverings, a domed alabaster bathroom, and various pieces of furniture. This makes Monkton House a rare survival of its kind.