HER 8327 - GUILDFORD HOUSE

Town house, now gallery. Circa 1660 for John Child, a lawyer, with 18th century alterations to rear and 20th century alterations inside. Timber framed, clad to front in painted wood and to rear in mathematical tiles and tile-hanging. Plain tiled hipped roof end on to street. Three storeys, the top two floors jettied out,with stacks to rear and left. Three bay front with giant Doric pilasters rising through the first and second floors and deep modillioned eaves cornice, breaking forwards to ends and centre over pilasters. Centre bay projects slightly with pilaster strip surround to central leaded, mullioned and transomed window on the second floor, flanked by further windows on each side. Three taller windows on the first floor, that to centre with small 17th century balcony in front with central scrolled panel and alternate twisted railings. Old shop front on the ground floor with one square bay window with glazing-bars either side of centre on panelled stall risers. Each elm stall riser consists of two square panels with sunk panel between, the square panels carved in floral spiral pattern. Double doors to centre in pilaster surround under foliage caps, and with round-arched head under scrolled keystone and flanked by carved spandrels. Richly carved flanking scrolls either side of door with foliage and fruit decoration. Rear:- 3 storeys and attic in main gable with two leaded attic casements. Two windows on the second floor and large leaded oriel window to first floor with lead tent roof and three plasterwork decorative panels under the windows. Interior:- Central ground-floor room:- Massive exposed posts and spine beams in ceilings, some pine panelling on walls. Staircase hall:- Panelled pilasters and doorcase with pendant boss to centre arch. Staircase: very fine staircase, c.1680 with pierced oak and elm balustrade. Simply moulded oak handrail supported by sturdy oak newel posts crowned with carved bowls filled with fruit and flowers on the base of each newel post is carved a Tudor rose. Richly carved panel balustrade of acanthus pattern with interlocking spirals of foliage. The stair- case rises to the top floor of the house via a first-floor landing with twisted balusters surmounted by arcading continued onto one wall, both arcades of 2 bays, fielded panels on walls. The staircase continues up with the richest carved panel at the very top. Garden Room:- plaster ceiling divided into five panels by deep beams decorated on the face with flowers and guilloche band, the coved sides decorated with acanthus patterning. Central oval panel with bay-leaf garland edging. Oak, deal and pine panelling on walls and fielded panelling on fireplace overmantle. Oriel windows overlooking the garden retain elaborate 17th century wrought-iron fastners and espagnolette bolts, as do those windows in the Pine Room, and the first floor landing. The Pine Room:- lined with pine panels rising to the ceiling over a dado. Original mantlepiece to the fireplace with fruit and flower carvings, unusual sliding shutters recessed into the panelling, and sliding along the windowsills, flank the windows. The Powell Room:- The finest room in the house, overlooking the street with the proportions of a half-cube. Fine bolection panelling lines the walls with chair- rail and rectangular dado panels. Finely decorated plaster ceiling contemporary with house and repaired in one corner in the 20th century, is divided into nine panels. Each panel is separated by deep beams covered with flowers, and leaves, the very rich central round panels are contained in a wreath of fruit and flowers. Around the centre panel are placed 4 further panels with bay leaf garland edged ovals with winged Cherubs heads to corners and a further 4 corner panels contain sun- flower motif and masks of female heads. Photographs in the N.M.R. PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) pp.283-4. I. RHODES: GUILDFORD HOUSE GUIDE Listing NGR: SU9982449517

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