Summary
House, the central range and south wing of 1806-1808 by Edward Lapidge for John Spicer, remodelled and extended to the north and north-east in 1895-1898 by G T Robinson for Edgar and Helen Vincent in the C18 French Style. Achille Duchêne created the eastern forecourt. The building was converted into a childrens’ home in the 1930s, and offices and a conference centre for Unite the Union from 1952 until 2023.
Reasons for Designation
Esher Place, 30 Esher Place Avenue, Surrey, a country house of 1895-1898 by G T Robinson for Sir Edgar and Lady Vincent, incorporating an earlier house of 1806-1808 by Lapidge, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural Interest:
* as an accomplished country house in the C18 French style, with good exterior detailing to the central range and north wing, framed to the east by the forecourt by Achille Duchêne, and facing lawns at the west garden front;
* for the rich polite interiors with well-executed decorative plasterwork, marble fireplaces and imported boiseries in the dining room, the accomplished entrance and staircase halls, library and reception rooms on the ground floor and bedrooms on the first floor of the central range and north wing.
Historic Interest:
* for the association with Sir Edgar Vincent, Viscount D’Abernon, politician, diplomat and art collector, and Lady Helen Vincent, both well-regarded socialites who entertained royalty and aristocracy at Esher Place. The Locarno Agreement of 1925 was negotiated in the library.
Group Value:
* with numerous listed structures associated with William Kent’s mansion and landscape for Lord Henry Pelham.
History
The history of the estate goes back to the C11 when William the Conqueror gave the Manor of Esher to the Abbey of St Leutfred’s Cross of Normandy. Later, in 1245 the Manor was purchased by Bishop William Rayleigh, who was probably the first Bishop of Winchester to build anything of significance at Esher. The only remaining building from the tenure of the Bishopric is Wayneflete’s Tower built in 1462 by William Wayneflete, Lord High Chancellor of England (Grade I, List entry 1286940). Subsequently, the Palace of Esher was owned by King Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey, King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. In the early C18 the palace was extensively remodelled by William Kent for Lord Henry Pelham (Prime Minister 1743-1754), who purchased the estate in 1730. Grade II-listed structures associated with Pelham’s mansion include the Grotto; the Orangery; East and West Lodges and the garden walls with a gateway, all said to be by Kent, but not located within the current boundary of Esher Place. The Grade II-listed urn of 1754 (attributed to Stephen Wright, Kent’s assistant) was commissioned by Pelham’s friends after his death and lies in the grounds of the current Esher Place to the south of the house.
After Pelham died, his daughter Frances owned the estate and after her death, Pelham’s mansion was bought in 1805 by John Spicer, a London stockbroker, who partly demolished the C18 country house, apart from the medieval tower, and is said to have reused the brick to build a new house to the south-east, positioned on a hill overlooking the river Mole. Designed by Edward Lapidge between 1806-1808, this classical country house had an ‘L’-shaped plan, as shown in the Tithe Map of 1846 and survey of the Esher Place estate of 1863, with the polite range looking west over the river valley and a service range with courtyard extending to the south-east. An illustration of 1828 indicates an entrance portico (demolished) at the garden front to the west. The 1863 survey indicates that the main drive ended at the north elevation of the polite range, and that a walled garden located to the south had a pavilion along its north boundary. The 1896 Ordnance Survey map (1:2500) is more detailed, suggesting a portico to the east frontage as well. The ovoid pleasure grounds seem enclosed by a complete ha-ha or ditch, the eastern extent of which lies close to the house with wooded parkland beyond within which the ice house was located. To the west of the house and pleasure grounds, a wooded rabbit warren next to the east bank of the river may have incorporated some of Kent’s planting. Further to the north, are the fish ponds and canal, the latter crossed by a bridge as part of a meandering drive from the north, passing Wayneflete’s tower before turning eastwards to converge with a south-east drive from Esher Green on the approach to the house from the east. Edward Lapidge (1779-1860) was an English architect and Surveyor to the County of Surrey, the eldest son of Samuel Lapidge, a former assistant to Lancelot Brown. Edward Lapidge designed the Church of St Peter in Hammersmith (List entry 1079843, 1827, Grade II*) and Kingston Bridge (List entry 1300232, 1825-8, Grade II*) and restored other listed churches.
The estate was purchased in 1895 by Edgar Vincent (1857-1941) and his wife Helen (nee Duncombe, 1866-1954). Edgar Vincent was governor of the Imperial Ottoman Bank in Constantinople, later MP for Exeter and subsequently ambassador to Germany in 1920-1926. Notable moments in his diplomatic career include the Dawes settlement of 1924 which led to German financial stability after the First World War, and the Locarno agreement of 1925 whereby Britain guaranteed the Franco-German border against aggression by either nation. The negotiations for the latter were said to have been conducted in the library of Esher Place, with the draft agreement stored in the safe. Edgar Vincent became the 1st Baron D’Abernon in 1914 and following his retirement in 1926 he was ennobled as the 1st Viscount D’Abernon and published his diplomatic memoirs. In 1936 he inherited the title of 16th Baronet Vincent of Stoke D’Abernon, continuing to have an active public life until the mid-1930s. The Vincents lived in Arlington Street in London and in rented palaces in Rome as well as Esher Place. Helen Vincent became a celebrated hostess in the 1890s and is associated with members of literary and intellectual circle known as ‘The Souls’. She later trained as an anaesthetist and served in France during the First World War. She died in 1954.
The architect of their new country house was George Thomas Robinson who re-orientated the building to face the east, removing the portico at the west. George Thomas Robinson (1829-1897) started his architectural career in the Midlands, specialising in church and public buildings including the Old Town Hall in Burslem (List entry 1195811, 1854, Grade II*) and Sunshine House in Leamington Spa (List entry 1381542, 1860-1870, Grade II). He was in partnership with Henry Paull until 1872, thereafter he moved to London and in the latter part of his career he worked mainly as a decorative artist, particularly as a decorative plasterer, publishing practical texts on plastering and modelling. He was a Fellow of the RIBA and a founding member of the Art Workers Guild in 1884. He remodelled Esher Place just before his death, a time when Robinson and his family are reported to have been part of a London-based circle of writers and artists including Robert Browning, John Sargent and William Morris. Sargent painted portraits of both Edgar and Helen Vincent.
Robinson’s creation was a ‘large Frenchy Mansion’ according to Pevsner (revised publication 2022 p300) which records that the building is on the site of Kent’s C18 Belvedere (and the position where Kent had proposed a Palladian villa for Pelham), set back around a ‘palatial cour d’honneur’ at the head of Esher Place Avenue. Robinson remodelled the entirety of Lapidge’s earlier house, broadly retaining the external form except for the east elevation, maintaining the service end at the south-east for its original purpose, and remodelling the exterior and interiors of the polite wing to create an east-facing central range with a steep slate and lead pavilion roof. The main entrance to the house switched to the east, facing the extensive, symmetrical forecourt and driveway, which extended as a tree-lined avenue beyond the entrance. Robinson added a north wing to the central range, and a further Real Tennis court wing canted to the north-east, the two linked by an enclosed corridor. The Vincents were noted art collectors and socialites of the period, entertaining a number of prominent individuals at Esher Place including King Edward VII who gifted them a theatre laid out in the north part of the north wing, complete with a stage and musician’s playing area; this later became a billiard room and in the late-C20, The Mandela Room. The French character of the interiors was captured by photographs of 1923, held in the Historic England Archive.
Contiguous with the remodelling of the house by Robinson, the landscape architect Achille Duchêne created stepped terraces around the new mansion and the forecourt to the east, defined by a stone balustrade and gateway. Achille Duchêne (1866-1947), son of the landscape designer Henri Duchêne, was a landscape architect based in Paris, a prodigious creator and restorer of around 6000 formal gardens in Europe and America whose milieu was the formal, geometric French garden. He is probably best known in this country for the restoration of the east formal gardens at Blenheim in 1908 for the 9th Duke of Marlborough (hard landscape features listed at Grade II). His contribution at Esher Place is acknowledged in a carved inscription on one of the piers which states that the forecourt was by him. The gardens were described in Country Life Illustrated of Jan 6th 1900 in fulsome terms. The parkland is described as a ‘glorious panorama’ with a rich sylvan setting. The Vincents are stated to have transformed the place, creating a sequence of gardens and extensive planting which reflected Lady Vincent’s love of flowers. The gardens were located to the south of the house with trim yew hedges enclosing ‘masses of flowering plants’. ‘My Lady’s Garden’ was contained by a wall with niches for statues, once housed in Pelham’s orangery, dug up during the creation of the rose garden. There was also a ‘French garden’, a kitchen and fruit garden, a cottage garden, scented garden and long lavender walk. Beyond the Tulip tree (introduced in 1685, which still stands) were walks through the wooded area to Pelham’s urn and the extensive parkland beyond. Images from the article are instructive, depicting the pavilion and garden to the south of the house and the extensive approach from the east, featuring a tree-lined avenue leading to the gateway reduced by later development.
The eastern forecourt is depicted on the 1913 Ordnance Survey (OS) map (1:2500). On either side of the broad driveway approaching the house are lawns with steps at the east end leading to the gardens to the rear of the house. The house continued to be accessed from the east, with a secondary drive leading from the south converging at the gateway. Beyond the forecourt, Lapidge’s landscape west and north of the house remained at this point, but the ha-ha survived only at the west extent. The parkland to the east of the house was part-wooded. The walled garden to the south remained with a sun dial noted on the map and the sunken garden and rill were further to the south (extant but beyond the current property boundary of Esher Place in 2024). The pleasure ground was extended at the north-east to accommodate the terraced, grass amphitheatre said to have been by Lutyens (not firmly attributed) in 1905 for Lady Vincent’s outside theatrical displays. A stage area is surrounded by banked seating, but the steps cut into the banking have worn away and the arched columns that adorned the stage have gone. The Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova performed there. Aerial images from 1928 (Britain From Above references EPW023458 and EPW023454) show the careful arrangement of gardens on the south side of the house, including Lutyen’s sunken garden and rill, and part of the western section of Lapidge’s ha-ha.
In 1930, Lord d’Abernon gifted the house to the Ragged School Union, which became known later as the Shaftesbury Society. The wider estate was sold for housing development (now the Esher Place Estate). Meanwhile the mansion became a home for ‘fatherless and destitute girls’ aged from 5 to 12, which was opened by the Princess Royal, daughter of Edward VII. The school closed in 1952 when most of the remaining grounds were sold for development. It was bought by the Electrical Trades Union, a predecessor of the Unite Union, who used it latterly as a training and conference centre. These changes of ownership precipitated a sequence of significant alterations to both house and landscape as depicted on Ordnance Survey mapping of the mid-C20. The 1935 OS shows a similar arrangement of the house and the immediate grounds but the revision of 1938, published in 1947, shows a marked change with development encroaching from all sides including the creation of roads and housing. By the 1958 edition much of the development witnessed today was complete.
In 2024, the eastern forecourt has an asphalt-covered driveway used for car parking flanked by lawns to the north and south, defined by concrete edging. Asphalt-covered paths lead around the buildings. The western part of Lapidge’s reconfigured ovoid pleasure grounds remain. Pelham’s vase remains close to the southern boundary of Esher Place, although not in its original location. Similarly repositioned is Kent’s Crouching Venus. Of the designed landscape associated with the Vincent’s mansion, all that survives within the boundary of Esher Place are the amphitheatre, one walled garden (probably My Lady’s Garden from the walling and sundial), some brick paths and the foundation of a pavilion. Lutyen’s rill and sunken garden appear to survive in the grounds of number 7 The Gardens, although satellite images suggest a tennis court may partly be on the position of the sunken garden.
Significant changes to the house occurred from the 1930s onwards, particularly during the post-war period and in the early C21, include the following:
- in the service wing the interiors are extensively remodelled and the fenestration has mostly been replaced;
- the first floor of the early C19 house’s polite range has been remodelled to form bedrooms serving the conference facilities;
- in the north wing, the picture gallery on the ground floor has been subdivided to form offices and a corridor with replacement of finishes, the former theatre has been remodelled by the introduction of a corridor over the stage area and the bedrooms on the first floor have inserted ensuite facilities;
- the link corridor to the tennis court has had a ramp inserted replacing or covering the stairs;
- the exterior of the tennis court has inserted windows and the interior has been completely remodelled to create conference facilities including excavation of a basement.
Details
House, the central range and south wing of 1806-1808 by Edward Lapidge for John Spicer, remodelled and extended to the north and north-east in 1895-1898 by G T Robinson for Edgar and Helen Vincent in the C18 French Style. Achille Duchêne created the eastern forecourt. The building was converted into a childrens’ home in the 1930s, and offices and a conference centre for Unite the Union from 1952 until 2023.
MATERIALS: red brick with stone dressings, hipped slate roofs and a gabled stone slate roof to the early C19 phase with irregularly placed stone panelled stacks.
PLAN: broadly, a wide crescent shape, the principal entrance at the east of the central range with a service wing to the south-east, 1895 north wing linked by an enclosed corridor to a converted Real Tennis Court canted to the north-east. The polite reception and bedrooms are located in the central range and north wing. Duchene’s forecourt provides a 'cour d’honneur' to the main entrance.
EXTERIOR: the principal frontage faces east, comprising a central range with two wings projecting forward to frame the west end of the forecourt, but not quite at the same angle. In general, the building shares a similar treatment across all components, comprising brick or stone elevations with stone dressings to the window surrounds (cills, lintel and segmental heads) stone plinths, storey bands and a moulded deep bracket cornice. The central range and north wing have pilaster bay divisions and some bay windows in stone. Windows are tall, generally casements of eight or 12 panes, with central mullions and top openings; there are occasional oculi with glazing bars.
The principal east front of the central range is mostly in stone and has two storeys and an attic arranged across five bays above a stone plinth. The central three bays have a projecting entrance, approached by a flight of stone steps, with an arcade of three, partly-glazed entrance doors with semi-circular fan lights, above which is a balcony with stone balustrade. Above, the first floor is articulated by paired Ionic stone pilasters, the outside panels contain partly-glazed French windows flanking a carved cartouche at the centre. Above, the attic level has three six-light casement windows beneath a stepped pavilion roof, at the centre of which is a stone-framed oculus with segmental surround above. The outer bays have arch-headed windows to the first floor and balustrades to the parapet above with oval dormer windows under projecting hoods. Across the five bays is a stone storey band at the first floor and a deep bracket cornice.
The central range is linked to the south wing by an angle bay with windows rising through two floors and balustrade above. The south wing has eight bays with a projecting rusticated end bay. It consists of a basement beneath a deep single storey with a set-back attic under moulded eaves with a stone-slate gable roof above. The windows have cambered heads with scroll keystones, the window bays alternating with blind brick panels. The windows in the attic are late-C20 replacements. Linked to the south is a six bay, two storey rendered range of lower height beneath a separate shallow, hipped roof. The windows are late-C20 replacements.
Linking the central range to the four-bay north wing is a brick bay containing a circular window at the ground floor, and at the first floor, an arched window in a roll-moulded surround behind an oval stone balcony, supported by stone brackets, with a wrought iron handrail. There is a double-height, stone polygonal bay window with balustraded parapet to the north. Similar to the central range, this elevation is articulated with paired Ionic pilasters. It has a shallow hipped roof. There are casement windows of 12 panes at the ground floor with stone surrounds, and eight-pane casement windows break into the cornice on the first floor.
A seven-bay, single storey link with a central stone entrance connects with the former eight-bay Real Tennis Court to the north-east. The latter has brick panels, divided by stone pilasters with a moulded stone cornice to the mansard roof which contains eight oval dormer windows in segmental hoods. In the early C21, narrow windows of twelve lights were inserted into the formerly blind panels following the conversion of the building.
The west (rear) garden front retains much of the external envelope of Spicer’s house by Lapidge, but the exterior treatment of the central range is consistent with Robinson’s French-inspired remodelling. The rear of the central range has three bays with quoined edges and paired pilasters to the first floor with double-height circular bays to each end. The pavilion roof is set back but visible above the plain parapet. An additional two-bay link is set back behind a balustrade at the first floor; 12-over-12 sash windows at the first floor may be early C19. Adjoining to the south is the early-C19 service wing of brick generally laid in English bond, with C20 single storey additions to the ground floor and late-C20 replacement windows in original openings with straight brick heads. A flagged courtyard lies at the rear of the rendered component, defined to the south-east by a later extension.
The north wing has quoins to each end, with four French windows in stone surrounds at the ground floor leading on to the rear, stepped terrace, with eight-pane windows above. The three bay north return has a deep cornice and projecting central bay with quoins and a balcony at the first floor. The rear of the corridor and former Real Tennis Court follows the same treatment as at the front.
INTERIOR: the interiors of particular interest are situated in the polite central range on the ground floor and north wing which displays C18 French-inspired opulent decorative treatment. The interiors of the south wing, first floor of the central range, link corridor and former Real Tennis Court are remodelled, converted to bedrooms, kitchen areas, staff accommodation and conference facilities from the 1930s onwards, particularly in the late C20 and early C21. Few historic fixtures remain in these areas, with the exception of some joinery and the stairs with late-C19 splat balusters in the south wing, sections of egg and dart cornices and some fireplaces in the bedrooms of the central range, and a library cupboard on the first floor landing of the central range. All doors are fire doors.
The internal character of the central range and north wing is characterised throughout by assured use of carved stone and wrought ironwork, particularly in the staircase hall, accomplished decorative plasterwork cornices, wall panels and ceilings, in addition to timber panelling particularly in the dining hall and library. Fireplaces of marble and other materials, and plaster chimney pieces remain, as do panelled doors within decorative recessed architraves, joinery and ironmongery, particularly the window opening system. The plan-form is little altered apart from the subdivision of the picture gallery and remodelling of the theatre.
The ashlar stone-lined entrance hall leading to the staircase hall is the principal shared ground floor space, accessed from the main entrance, with a black and white chequered floor and elegant, ramped sweeping stone stairs in three flights with wrought iron balustrades. The high coved ceiling is supported by Corinthian columns and a moulded cornice and lit by oculi in the roof.
To the rear of the hall, is the lounge with decorative plaster wall and ceiling panels; to the north and south are the circular former snooker hall and small lounge or withdrawing room with decorative plaster wall and ceiling panelling, re-gilded in the latter in the early C21. Archive photographs suggest that there were painted wall murals in the panels of the small lounge but these are no longer evident.
To the south is the dining hall with richly carved boiseries, timber wall panelling said to have come from France. In the centre of the wall panels and above the doors are carved images of musical instruments, theatrical scenes, cherubs and other figures.
Also on the ground floor is the library, to the north of the staircase hall, with fitted cupboards, shelving, window shutters, embossed wallpaper and a heavy cornice to the ceiling. Above the fireplace is a portrait of Lady Helen Vincent enthroned in classical dress holding a figure of Peace by Benjamin-Constant of 1893.
To the west is the former picture gallery, subdivided to form an office and access corridor to the theatre. The office space has wooden panelling and a modern suspended ceiling.
The former theatre at the north end of the wing was latterly the billiard room in 1923 and the Mandela Room during the ownership of the union. The ornate bridging beams and ceiling panels remain, as does the cornice and joinery but the fireplace has been removed and the room reconfigured including the insertion of a corridor at the east side.
On the first floor of the north wing bedrooms are accessed from an axial corridor. They have all had ensuite bathrooms inserted, but retain fireplaces, panelled doors, cornices, friezes, wall panelling, picture and dado rails and joinery. One of the principal bedrooms facing east, with its own private balcony, has two painted roundels in square panels between the picture rails and cornice.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Duchêne's balustrade comprises a stone plinth and coping with a balustrade of vase-shaped balusters and piers. His authorship is recorded on a pier close to the central iron gateway, the latter comprising slender railings with decorative roundels.
