Listed Building: PORTLAND HOUSE (488369)

873-1/0/10008 BELLE VUE ROAD 24-OCT-01 Portland House II House. 1935; by Lord Gerald Wellesley and Trenwith Wills for Geoffrey Henry Bushby and built by Turner and Payne of London. Whitewashed rendered walls. Roman tile hipped roof with deep eaves. Two rendered lateral chimneys with tapered stacks. PLAN: Sloping site with two single storey ranges with terraces in front, the upper range set back from the lower and entered from the rear [N] at higher ground level, the main stairs descending from the entrance doorway to principal rooms and flanking loggias on projecting lower ground level terrace; the upper range contains the bedrooms, which give onto a terrace over the principal rooms. Spanish/Mediterranean style. EXTERIOR: 2 single storey ranges on sloping site; projecting lower range has 1:1:7:1:1 bay south front with metal alternating casements and French casements with round heads and leaded panes, at centre an integral porch and at either end loggias with round arches and stone Doric columns in antis; the returns of the loggias each with 3-bay arcade, returning at either end by shaped flanking walls. Balustrade to terrace above and terrace in front made of Roman tiles in fish scale pattern panels. The set back upper range, seven bays with French casements and round-headed windows piercing two large lateral chimneys with diminishing tapered stacks with shaped set-offs; to left a stone tablet inscribed with names of patron, architects and builder. North entrance front has brick steps to sunken entrance with fielded panel double doors, moulded architrave with keyblock, flanking lamps and circular windows; projecting on left the service wing with blind inner [W] elevation and with casements and lateral stack on outer [E] side. INTERIOR intact and complete with original features, including joinery such as panelled doors with fittings and moulded architraves and cupboards; chimneypieces, moulded ceiling cornices, kitchen and bathroom fittings and tiles, including floral tile risers and skirting to broad straight main staircase and ornate grille to letter-box. Portland House is a complete and well designed example of a 1930s Mediterranean villa style house by an eminent architectural partnership.

Record last edited

Oct 16 2009 12:53PM