California House
CALIFORNIA HOUSE, 36-39, ESSEX STREET WC2
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1357027
- Date first listed:
- 08-Sept-1972
- List Entry Name:
- California House
- Statutory Address:
- CALIFORNIA HOUSE, 36-39, ESSEX STREET WC2
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2007-02-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/16319/09
- Rights:
- © Mr Anthony Rau. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1357027
- Date first listed:
- 08-Sept-1972
- List Entry Name:
- California House
- Statutory Address 1:
- CALIFORNIA HOUSE, 36-39, ESSEX STREET WC2
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CALIFORNIA HOUSE, 36-39, ESSEX STREET WC2
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- City of Westminster (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 31071 80985
Details
TQ 3180 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER ESSEX STREET, WC2 74/2 Nos 36 to 39 (consec) 8.9.72 California House G.V. II Offices. 1892 by the partnership of Robert Lempriere Hesketh and Walter Stokes; originally 2 houses of unequal size. Buff terracotta with much enrichment. Lavish display of Flemish Renaissance motifs. 3 storeys, basement and attic. 14 windows wide in all, closely set. 2 doorways, towards left and centre-right, with panelled and glazed doors with rectangular fanlights recessed in pilaster jambs beneath entablature-lintels. Recessed plate glass sashes in enriched surrounds on 1st floor, and all flanked by pilasters; southernmost bay and 2 others project slightly and are flanked on each floor by engaged enriched columns carrying pediments of varied design. Elaborate arabesque friezes over ground and 1st floor, and modillion eaves cornice. Clustered column and quoin pilasters to Devereux Court corner on each floor. Cast iron ornamental area railings.
Listing NGR: TQ3107180985
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 209704
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 13-Jul-2026 at 09:44:29.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.