Debenham House

For the similarly named house in Michigan, see I. N. Debenham House.

Debenham House
Debenham House, 2015
LocationHolland Park, West London, England
Coordinates51°30′8.94″N 0°12′31.82″W / 51.5024833°N 0.2088389°W / 51.5024833; -0.2088389
Built1905–07
ArchitectHalsey Ricardo
Architectural style(s)Arts and Crafts
Governing bodyPrivately owned
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameDebenham House
Designated15 April 1969[1]
Reference no.1080783
Debenham House is located in Greater London
Debenham House
Location of Debenham House in Greater London

Debenham House (or Peacock House) at 8 Addison Road is a large detached house in the Holland Park district of Kensington and Chelsea, W14. Built in the Arts and Crafts style by the architect Halsey Ricardo, it is a Grade I listed building.[1]

History

The house was designed in 1905 for department store owner Ernest Ridley Debenham.[2] Debenham had previously lived in another house designed by Ricardo, at 57 Melbury Road in Holland Park.[2] The house only became known as Debenham House after it was sold on Sir Ernest's death. From 1955 to 1965 the house was used by the London College of Dance and Drama. In the 1990s it housed the headquarters of Richmond Fellowship and was the venue for Royal Garden Parties.

Architecture

Debenham House combines an Italianate exterior with an Arts and Crafts interior. Both are richly decorated. The house is clad in Royal Doulton Carrara ware with green and blue Burmantofts bricks. Ricardo favoured polychromy for its design effects, but it also served a practical purpose, as the glazing resisted the aging effects of the polluted London air. The critic Jonathan Meades described the house as "structurally stodgy – an alderman dressed as a hippy."[3]

The interior contains tiles designed by William De Morgan, a mosaic dome painted by Gaetano Meo, ceilings painted by Ernest Gimson and stained glass by Edward Schroeder Prior.[4] The decoration throughout is overwhelming. A domed hall has a gallery linking the upstairs rooms. Mosaics show members of the Debenham family, mixed with gods and goddesses from classical mythology. There are marble and tile fireplaces and mahogany bookcases with decorated with Art Nouveau inserts in wood and mother of pearl. The light switches were made by the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.[3]

Filming location

The house has been used as a film location, including; The Wings of the Dove (1997 film),[citation needed] Secret Ceremony,[5] What the Butler Saw, Spooks,[4] two episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot, Lord Edgware Dies and Cards on the Table,[6][7] Trottie True[citation needed] and the BBC's Mrs. Bradley Murder Mysteries.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Historic England. "Debenham House (1080783)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Survey of London: volume 37: Northern Kensington". British History Online. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Debenham House – Hidden London". hidden-london.com. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. ^ a b Phillippa Bennett (1 September 2010). William Morris in the Twenty-First Century. Peter Lang. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-3-0343-0106-0. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  5. ^ Derek Pykett (20 July 2008). British Horror Film Locations. McFarland. pp. 105–. ISBN 978-0-7864-3329-2. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Poirot Locations – Lord Edgware Dies". tvlocations.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ Eirik. "Investigating Agatha Christie's Poirot: Episode-by-episode: Lord Edgware Dies". investigatingpoirot.blogspot.com.es. Retrieved 1 February 2015.

Bibliography

Media related to Debenham House at Wikimedia Commons