XLIX.—No. 23 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE: (Formerly No. 4 Queen Square).
Ground Landlord.
The freehold belongs to the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Families
Association.
General Description.
The sale to Nunez in 1726 (see p. 110) included (for £860) "a parcell
of ground, with the messuage thereon, now or late in occupation of Mrs.
Wingfield, being the second house on the south side of Queen Square."
The plot contained 36 feet 10 inches in front and 29 feet in depth, and the
house is described as being three storeys high, and comprising "two rooms
and two large closetts on a floore, with a kitchen, washhouse and other
conveniences below stairs and garretts in the roofe … also vaults
under the square and a small yard paved with Purbeck stone, and iron
railes before the front of the said messuage."
The wood cornice at the eaves has been removed, and the front wall
has been carried up to form a parapet to a slate roof. The window-sashes
have been reglazed, and by the removal of the sash-bars the character of the
windows has been impaired. The entrance is central, and is decorated with
a carved canopy door-hood (Plate 106) like others on this side of the square.
Some of the rooms retain their plain wood panelling, chair-rails and
moulded wood cornices. The wall surfaces to the stairs are panelled and
have a wood cornice to the landings and passage. The balustrading consists
of close moulded strings, turned balusters and square newel posts. A semielliptical archway to the panelled hall has the cornice mitred round both
faces of the key-block.
A lead cistern in the basement has a panelled ribbed front with the
date 1763, and some undecipherable letters.
The back wall was probably rebuilt during the last century, when the
top storey was increased in height and the slate roof added.
Condition of Repair.
Good.
Historical Notes.
The names of the occupiers of this house up to 1840, according to the ratebooks, were:—
|
| 1706–08 | Mme. Elford. |
| 1709–12 | Lord Faulkland. |
| 1714 | Thos. Merrit. (fn. 1) |
| 1716 | C. Copsey. |
| 1717–18 | Sir Wm. Gordon. |
| 1720–25 | — Fox. |
| 1732 | Thos. Railton. |
| 1733–34 | Mme. Railton. |
| 1737–38 | Mrs. Fowle. |
| 1739–42 | — Fowyle. |
| 1743–69 | Robt. Maldrum. |
| 1771–73 | Hen. Lateland. |
| 1788 | Benj. Severn. |
| 1789–91 | Sam. Fenton. |
| 1794 | Sara Meeks. |
| 1795–96 | Ann Thompson. |
| 1800–21 | John Hopkins. |
| 1822–28 | Mary Brown. |
| 1830–38 | David Ferrard. |
| 1839 | Step. Virtue. |
| 1774–79 | Jos. Wells. |
| 1780–84 | Elizabeth Wells. |
| 1785 | Wm. Wells. |
In the Council's Collection are:—
General exterior of premises (photograph).
(fn. 2) General exterior of premises (measured drawing).
(fn. 2) Detail of entrance doorway (photograph).
(fn. 2) Ground and first-floor plans (measured drawing).