Greenbank House & Greenbank [Cottage], Amersham
Location/Address
Greenbank House & Greenbank [Cottage]
South Road
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP6 5LU
Type
Description
Wonderful combination of 2 adjoining dwellings, Greenbank House to the left & Greenbank [Cottage] to the right. Both excellent emaples of ‘Arts & Crafts’ style architecture by local architect J. H. Kennard.
Traditionally in brick & roughcast, painted white, under a roof covering of clay tiles.
Greenbank House has a large gable to the left-hand side of the design, rising up to 3 floors in height. There is a 2 storey bay window, serving ground & first-floors. Second-floor window set slightly into roof-space. Remainder of facade broadly flat, with 2 gables rising up, of equal size.
Centre gable has front-door to middle, flanked by small window to right-hand side & taller staircase widow to left-hand side. Above this, in level & centrally positioned, is a window to first-floor accommodation. Right-hand gable has 3 windows, central slightly larger & flanked by 2 smaller one - symmetrical - to ground-floor & a single window - matching the one to the adjacent gable - to the first-floor. Covered gate to right-hand side, connecting to Greenbank [Cottage]. 3 original chimneys , all with brick - rather than roughcast/ painted - finish to appearance. Left-hand one set on end of building, some shaping to design & small band of projecting brickwork near to the top. Remaining 2 chimneys, extend out of ridge, inline with each of the centre & right-hand gable. Matching band of projecting brickwork, to left-hand chimney.
Greenbank [Cottage] has covered gate to side, matching & connecting to neighbour. To right of this is an inset porch, slightly recessed below the roof. Over this, the roofline rises, to the same height as the adjoining home. Front door set centrally, with 2 matching - symmetrical - windows to either side, of very small proportions. Two storey gable to right-hand side, with projecting bay window serving both floors. Additional small circular window to left of bay, at ground-floor level. To right of gable, roof extends downwards over a second covered gate. There is an original chimney rising from the main ridge, matching the neighbouring house. Second original chimney rises out of roofline, on right-hand side, complimenting, - but not quite matching - that of the left-hand chimney of the adjoining.
Original front doors to both houses. With the exception of the staircase window to Greenbank House, all windows appear original. These are of ‘leaded-light’ form, with casement openings.
Statement of Significance
Age
1912Rarity
Unusual, asymmetrical design.Architectural and Artistic Interest
Classic example of ‘Arts & Crafts’ architecture, on the Amersham-on-the-Hill/ Chesham Bois border. Noticeable position across from Chesham Bois Common. Quirky design, with the additional 2nd floor room to Greenbank House & complimentary proportions to the much smaller Greenbank [Cottage]. By & large, overall form little changed in 110 years. Correspondence held in Buckinghamshire Archive relating to known of owner/ seller of land, architect J. H. Kennard & the purchaser of land/ client for the homes. Reminiscent of 36 & 38 Reed Pond Walk [Romford Garden Suburb] (Grade II) designed by M. H. Baillie-Scott in 1911, which has a larger house to the left & a smaller home to the right - both connected by 2 covered gates, one serving each.Group Value
Compliment one another, also on South Road where architect designed other homes such as Bois Gate & St. Stephen’s Cottage (see separate listing). Opposite Chesham Bois Common, where the Chesham Bois War Memorial is - also designed by J. H.Kennard (Grade II).Landmark Status
With the extra floor, Greenbank House is a distinctive building rising above the neighbouring houses & thus being prominent within the street-scene.Images and Documents
Date Listed
11 Jan 2023
Last Updated
14 Mar 2022
Find Out More
Find out more about this Asset in Buckinghamshire's Local Heritage List:
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/buckinghamshire/asset/9901
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/buckinghamshire/asset/9901