Description

TQ 3080 NE CITY OF WESTMINSTER ALDWYCH, WC2
73/31 (North side)

Inveresk House: Nos. 1-5
1.5.86 (odd) (Including No. 346
Strand.)

G.V. II

Office block. 1906-07 by Mewes and Davis as the offices of the Morning
Post, attic storeys rebuilt and heightened in the late 1920's. Norwegian
granite facing on an early steel frame (see also the Ritz), slate and
coppered roof. Very elegant "Louis XV-Louis XVI" design for this island
block beginning the concave curve of the Aldwych, unfortunately marred by
the alteration of the attic. 4 storeys and 2 tiers of dormers in steep
mansard with cupola dome over Strand corner. 12 windows wide to Aldwych
quadrant, 1-window curved corners, 11-window Wellington Street front and 9
windows to Exeter Street. Main entrance to bowed Strand corner, central
entrances to each of 3 fronts, semicircular arched and recessed for one
order with female head keystones, that to No. 346 Strand has large flanking
pairs of consoles, with garland swags linking keystone, supporting break in
cornice surmounted by balustraded shallow balcony with draped pairs of
flanking dies. Similar but single consoles and balconies over entrances
centred to each return. The ground floor is channelled with large
semicircular arched windows with console keys; the bays adjoining bowed
Strand corner have plain blind doorways surmounted by enriched oeil de
boeuf. The 1st and 2nd floor windows are vertically grouped and recessed
for one order with laurel-leafs framing the heads at 2nd floor level "hung"
from be-ribboned keys; architraved 3rd floor windows framed by garlanded
coupled consoles supporting main cornice. The bowed Strand corner is
subtly elaborated with enriched architraves to grouped 1st and 2nd floor
windows with a cornice on console brackets carrying wrought iron balconette
to 3rd floor window; suspended from a plat band, between 2nd and 3rd floor
levels, one finely carved, be-ribboned, bar relief trophies. The 1st floor
windows of main elevations have balustrades in antis with wrought iron
French balconettes in antis to those on 2nd floor. The rebuilt attic has 2-
storeyed pedimented dormers and coppered dome with oeil de boeuf to Strand
corner.

Edwardian Architecture and its origins; Alistair Service (ed.)

Listing NGR: TQ3059880897

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• One Aldwych at Wikipedia
• One Aldwych official website
• Wikidata Q2023947

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)