7 St James’s Square

Description

No. 7 is by Lutyens, 1911–1r2, for the three bachelor Farrer brothers. Very subdued Neo-Georgian front, of thin red brick. It may mask a retained wall from the previous house, thought to have been refronted by Henry Holland in 1782–3. The top storey, as tall as that below, is Lutyens’s addition. Handsome Ionic porch with broken pediment, and A. Broadbent’s won­derful botanical carving. Clever plan: front and back ranges are joined by a broad staircase flanked originally by light wells, allowing rooms at staggered levels and heights. The style is early c18, e.g. the library behind, with a ballooning barrel vault and strongly architectural cases carved à la Gibbons. Several characteristic Lutyens fireplaces (six c18 fireplaces in upper rooms). (Bradley & Pevsner, 2003, p.627)

Terraced town house. 1911-12 by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Brown brick, slate roof; very restrained neo Georgian. 4 storeys, basement and dormered mansard. 5 windows wide. Stone Ionic columned porch to left with open pediment. Flush framed glazing bar sash windows under flat gauged brick arches with stone keys. 1st and 2nd floor stone plat band and sill bands. Moulded stone cornice and parapet with sections of balustrading in front of dormers. Cast iron area railings. Interior has a roughly H plan with the middle wing lit on each side. Decoration largely of late C17 character, restrained and incorporating some original elements, including chimneypieces from the early C18 house, apart from staircase, inner hall, dining room and vast barrel vaulted library. (Historic England, list entry 1264921)

Bibliography

Bradley S & Pevsner N (2003) LONDON 6: WESTMINSTER. The Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Historic England.7, ST JAMES’S SQUARE SW1. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1264921

Also Cited In

Lawrence, R. R. (2009) The Book of the Edwardian & Interwar House [2013 ed]. London: Aurum Press. Weaver, L. (1913) Houses and Gardens by E L Lutyens. London: Country Life.

Butler, A., 1950. The architecture of Sir Edwin Lutyens: the Lutyens memorial series. Vol III: Town and Public Buildings: Memorials: The Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool, Country Life: London and Scibners: New York.

Listing Grade

II

Listing Reference

1264921

Client

Gaspard and Henry Farrer