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Sydenham House (HT)

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History of Sydenham House (HT)

28-36 South Street - Sydenham House and adjoining terrace.

Sydenham House (No. 28 South Street) forms one end of a complex terrace of buildings comprising also of Nos. 30, 32, 34 and 36 South Street. Sydenham House is the oldest in the terrace and was once a detached house. It is faced with red brick at the front using Flemish bond and is plastered at the side. Flemish bond is where each row of bricks has alternate headers (the end of the brick) and stretchers (the side of the brick) along it. This style was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The windows are tripartite small-paned vertically sliding sashes with segmental heads, except for the central first floor window which is a single small-paned vertically sliding sash with a segmental head. Such sash windows postdate the 1709 Building Act which said that sash windows must be recessed at least 4 inches to reduce the risk of fire, but predate the 1774 Building Act which insisted that sash windows be completely behind the brick work. The Acts are not always a good guide though as outside London some buildings did not immediately adopt the practice. It was also relaxed by the 19th century.

The central doorway has a recessed 6 panelled door with reveals, a moulded surround, a decorated frieze at the top, decorated brackets and a flat canopy above it. The door and frame are consistent with the 18th Century. The semi-circular fanlight above the door is typical of the mid-18th century and as these tend not to be replaced, is likely to be original. All the above evidence indicates that Sydenham House dates from the mid-18th century.

In the 19th century, when Sydenham House was in use as a school, it was extended into what now forms No. 30 and part of No. 32. The main part of No. 30 which is set back from the road and has the same building line as Sydenham House Cottage is of red brick with Flemish bonding. Its windows are vertically sliding sashes, with gauged brick arches on the first floor and with a stucco lintel with cornice on the ground floor. It has a recessed 6 panelled door with a stucco lintel and cornice. All these features are typical of the 19th Century when this extension was built. Note the cellar window at the base of the wall. The post box in the front garden is just to put the occupants’ letters in, so don’t post your letters in it!

As stated above, the building to the right of the front door of No. 32 incorporates part of the extension to Sydenham House. As a result, the front third of it is actually part of No. 30. The middle third is part of No. 32. The final third and the rear garden are part of No. 30. The side of the Nos 30/32 complex is in the same Flemish bonded brick as the main part of No. 30.  The bricks appear to have been painted red and are probably Yellow Stocks the same as the front of Nos. 32 to 36. This certainly appears to be the case in an old photograph of the building. The windows and door in the side wall are the same style as No. 30.

The front of the Nos. 30/32 complex, No. 32 proper and Nos. 34 to 36 are typical Victorian cottages in design even though No. 32 incorporates part of the earlier extension of Sydenham House internally. The front wall is Flemish bond Yellow Stock brick with simple sash windows with brick arches above. Note how all the recessed front doors of Nos. 32 to 36, which also have brick arches above, are on the same side of each cottage and how the upstairs windows have their tops very close to the eaves. This was the style of the first type of such terraces built in the 19th century. Later ones had their doors and halls adjoining and the windows lower down from the eaves.

The Nos. 30/32 complex has its first floor window bricked up and there is also a cellar window with a brick arch at the front. Nos. 32 and 34 also have what look like cellar windows arches with the windows below now having been removed.

Nos.28 and 30 are Grade II Listed Buildings, but the whole complex is worthy of closer inspection.