Silvergates and attached terrace, well-head and walls

Details

ALDWICK, Craigweil-on-Sea,
THE DRIVE,
No. 52
Silvergates and attached terrace, well-head and walls

II

Detached house. Constructed in 1934 to the designs of Ernest B Glanfield FRIBA of the firm of Riley and Glanfield, constructed by the firm of Milton and Sons. The style is a mixture of Moderne style with metal-framed windows and traditional pitched roofs and building materials. Constructed of brick cavity walls which were always painted, with a pitched roof of old Delabole slates from Cornwall and rendered chimneystacks. Two storeys and attics: irregular fenestration to north, five windows to south.

EXTERIOR:
The north or entrance front is asymmetrical with a slightly projecting eastern bay with one Crittall window on each floor and a central tall half-hipped gabled dormer with leaded light windows underneath, including a round-headed staircase window and cambered-headed brick entrance with plank door. An original wrought iron lamp is attached above the door and two wrought iron torcheres either side. The western end has a steep hip and a series of small Crittall windows as it was the service end. Sections of painted wall with triangular slate coping and pedestrian entrances with gatepiers withn gabled slate caps are attached to the north west and north east sides of the building. The south or garden front which faces the sea is the principal front and is symmetrical of five bays with Crittall windows throughout. The centre is recessed with two flat-roofed dormers, three small windows on the first floor opening out on to a balcony with closed balustrade and loggia below with two large windows and central French windows. The end windows have enormous full-height curved bays under conical roofs with a band with a pattern of Vitruvian scrolls. Attached is a terrace of flagstones incorporating an octagonal stone well-head with wrought iron arch and a low stone wall with square piers at regular interval.

INTERIOR:
The staircase-hall has a round-headed alcove, inner door with glazing and wrought iron scrollwork and a staircase with wrought iron scrollwork balustrading and round-headed arches with vaulting on the upper floor. 1935 photographs show that the staircase originally had an intermediate rail rather than scrollwork but this is probably an early alteration. There are doors with wrought iron scrollwork throughout the ground floor with flush doors above. The sitting room to the west has early C18 style painted panelling, a bolection-moulded fireplace with a replaced brick and marble fire surround and original wooden pelmet. The central large lounge opening on the the loggia has similar panelling and an electric fire. The first floor retains the original layout except that one division between the three central bedrooms has been removed and the original cast iron bath with vitrolite panel above and original radiator remains.

HISTORY:
The house was designed "not only for family use but for extensive weekend entertaining". Originally there was a bar for cocktails in the dining room. There were two suites of double rooms with bathrooms and three single rooms sharing bathrooms on the first floor. The servants' bedrooms were on the attic floor and the kitchen quarters originally included a maids' sitting room. The garage had three more guest rooms and another bathroom but this building is now in separate ownership.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICENCE:
A 1934 detached marine residence by Ernest B Glanfield, designed in a mixture of Moderne and traditional styles and materials, and which was published in the architectural press of its day. This is a distinguished interwar seaside house which warrants listing on account of its architectural interest.

[Article in "The Builder" February 22nd 1935.
Contemporary photographs in "Modern Small Country Houses" edited by Roger Smithells and published by Country Life in 1936.]

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.