Sudbury House, No. 167 Hammersmith Road

LVIII.—SUDBURY HOUSE, No. 167 HAMMERSMITH ROAD

Ground landlord, leaseholders, etc.

The property belongs to the Latymer School Trustees; the house is occupied by Messrs. G. and A. Brown, Limited.

General description and date of structure.

Sudbury House is an interesting example dating from the latter part of the 18th century. It has suffered considerable alteration and has been modernised externally. It stands well back from the road and retains a good porch (Plate 117) supported by Doric columns and wall pilasters; at the garden entrance is a wrought-iron gate, with panels of scrollwork on each side.

The main building forms a rectangular block the north-west and north-east rooms of which have each a marble fireplace of the Adam period, the latter having a carved and fluted frieze. The same room has a cornice of this period and a frieze with vases in relief. To the south-east is a goodsized addition to the house of somewhat later date, but still of the 18th century. The room on the first floor has a three-light window with an arched central light, overlooking the garden. From an early view preserved at the Ravenscourt Park Library, it is evident that the house possessed charming grounds; these are now occupied by workshops and sheds.

Condition of repair.

Good.

Historical and biographical notes.

The site of Sudbury House, and of a portion of the ground adjoining, originally formed one of the parcels of Shortlands devised by Latymer in 1624. On 15th June, 1775, an exchange of lands was effected with a neighbouring owner, by which a strip of ground lying between the highway and the Warple way, 33 feet in breadth and 625 feet long, was added to a strip already in possession of the Latymer trustees, and formed therewith the site and garden of Sudbury House. On 24th June, 1775, the whole property was leased to John Crowder (fn. 1) for a period of sixty-one years. When Faulkner wrote (1839) it was occupied by the Misses Wright as a school. (fn. 2) He states (fn. 3) that it had previously been the residence of Alderman "Crowther," who was Lord Mayor in 1829, but it is very unlikely that two John Crowders, who apparently were not connected in any way, (fn. 4) should have successively occupied the same house. It is probable, however, that the alderman was at one time resident at Hammersmith, for in 1805 he acquired the remainder of a lease of No. 6 Theresa Terrace, holding it for two years and then disposing of it to the West Middlesex Waterworks Company. (fn. 5) Faulkner, knowing (i) that the alderman resided in the locality and (ii) that a John Crowder had occupied this house, evidently confused the two.

Old prints, views, etc.

Lithograph of garden and south front of house. Ravenscourt Park Library, Hammersmith.

In the Council's ms. collection are:

(fn. 6) View of porch (photograph).

Another view of same (photograph).