5 Groom Place and stable yard

Summary

The former stable block, groom's accommodation, coach house and clock tower to Seaford House, built to the designs of Philip Hardwick for Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton between 1842-1846, the interior being remodelled from the mid-to-late C20.

Reasons for Designation

5 Groom Place, built to the designs of Philip Hardwick in 1842-1845, remodelled in the mid-C20 and early C21, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural Interest:

* as the former stables and coach house to Seaford House that retains its external character as an important ancillary range vital for the function of the household;
* for the elegant clock tower that retains its clock and cap.

Group Value:

* as part of a planned architectural entity with Seaford House, and wider historical assocation with numerous listed buildings in and around Belgrave Square.

History

Belgrave Square was built on land owned by the 2nd Earl Grosvenor between Grosvenor Place and Sloane Street. Development of the square started in the 1820s when George Basevi desiged the terraces; each villa had its own architect. Thomas and William Cubitt and Seth Smith, the principal builders of the area, were responsible for much of the building works.

The land at the east corner of the square was leased by Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton to building his London seat in addition to the family seats of Croxteth Hall, Lancashire (National Heritage List for England entry 1280299, Grade II*) and Sefton Park, Buckinghamshire (NHLE entry 1124385, Grade II). He engaged Philip Hardwick (1792-1870) to design Sefton House (as it was then known) and it was built by Thomas Cubitt at a cost of £22,600 (Hobhouse, pp135-7). The house was built in 1842 and Lord Sefton was in residence by 1846.

Philip Hardwick was a pupil in his father’s office before enrolling at the Royal Academy Schools and travelling to Italy and France. In 1816, he began his independent practice and was architect to St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Euston Railway Station. One of his earlier institutional commissions was for the design of Goldsmiths Hall, City of London, 1829-1835 (NHLE entry 1286469, Grade I).

The house included a stable-yard, coach house, grooms' quarters, servants’ dormitories and an octagonal clock tower (known as 5 Groom Place in 2025). It seems that the stables range was not remodelled by Lord Howard de Walden in 1902 when he purchased the lease of Sefton House and renamed it Seaford House. It is said that he converted one of the hay lofts to a fencing practice room, however; a large dormer at the south end may relate to this change. The carriageway once extended from the forecourt of the house around the south of the house into the yard, but with the advent of car use, this was closed off and the former coach house at the south-east of the range was converted to a large garage in place by 1917.

Following the acquisition of the property for military use in the 1940s, the interior of 5 Groom Place has been comprehensively remodelled initially to provide accommodation for the Commandant, but also for storage and seminar rooms. Whilst the building retains its stables character externally, internally the plan-form has been remodelled and there are few historic fixtures remaining. The fenestration is mostly late-C20 at the west-facing elevations.

Modern oil storage and pipework has been installed beneath the stable yard.

Details

The former stable block, groom's accommodation, coach house, clock tower and stable yard to Seaford House, built to the designs of Philip Hardwick for Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton between 1842-1846. The interior of 5 Groom Place has been remodelled from the mid-to-late C20 onwards.

MATERIALS: red brick walls, rendered at the west elevation, and slate-covered roofs.

PLAN: a cranked range enclosing the former stable yard, attached at its west end to the rear of Seaford House and to the former coach house/garage to the south-east. At the north-east corner facing the yard is the clock tower. Internally, the plan comprises former stables at the ground floor with staff accommodation and hay lofts on the floors above, generally one room deep with a corridor facing the yard, all converted to classroom space and modern facilities.

EXTERIOR: a two and three storey building with single storey coach house at the south. All ranges are rendered at the west, yard-facing elevation with flat storey bands and former stable openings at the ground floor, partially blocked or remodelled with inserted late-C20 doors. The east elevation facing Groom Place has exposed brick. In general, the windows are a variety of sash and casements in openings with shallow segmental heads; a number of windows are late-C20 replacements.

At the north side of the yard is a two bay, two storey link to Seaford House with a hipped roof. The first floor of the north elevation has multi-pane windows; the ground floor is obscured by the lantern over the basement kitchen.The south, yard-facing elevation at the ground floor has a blocked stable entrance, with a high two-light window to the west and two windows at the first floor. To the east is the clock tower of three storeys. At the ground floor is the entrance to a winding stair and there are single lights at each floor. The upper storey housing the clock mechanism extends over the roofs and has a domed cap with finial. The clock-face faces south-west so it can be observed from the house.

Attached to the south is a cranked, three storey range of five bays under a hipped roof with a parapet. At the east rear elevation this range faces Groom Place and has exposed red brick laid in Flemish bond although the brick at the third storey is yellow stock which suggests a degree of rebuilding. At the north end is an inserted vehicular opening which appears to be mid-C20. Off centre is the former arched carriage entrance with double doors. At the first floor above is a possible former taking-in door partially infilled to create a window.

The former coach house attached to the south-east is rendered with a plain frieze and moulded cornice beneath a shallow, slate-covered hipped roof. At the north end, there is an attached wall with railings extending to the east side of the house. The north elevation has double doors with a strip of lights above. The west elevation has a central arched blocked entrance flanked by two arched openings with sash-windows and bars to the front. At the south elevation there is a partially blocked arched opening with a modern window.

INTERIORS: there has been successive remodelling from the mid-C20 onwards. There are late-C19 stairs and some fireplaces remaining in the eastern range and the winding stair remains in the clock tower; the clock mechanism was not inspected. Apart from these surviving features the interiors of 5 Groom Place have lesser interest.

The coach house interior was not inspected.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURE: the stable yard between 5 Groom Place and Seaford House comprises granite setts.

Note on mapping: the extent of listing does not include the east wall of Seaford House, which is included in List entry 1066459.

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Bradley, S, The Buildings of England: London 6 Westminster (2003), 741
Stourton, J, Great Houses of London (2012), 169-175
The Building of Belgravia in Country Life, ,Vol. , (8th May 1969), 1154-1157

End of official list entry