2-10, Tavistock Street WC2, City of Westminster, London

Entry Name: 2-10, Tavistock Street WC2

Listing Date: 5 February 1970

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1234320

English Heritage Legacy ID: 207237

Also known as: Country Life Offices
Country Life Building

ID on this website: 101234320

Location: Strand, Westminster, London, WC2R

County: London

District: City of Westminster

Electoral Ward/Division: St James's

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: City of Westminster

Traditional County: Middlesex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater London

Church of England Parish: St Paul Covent Garden

Church of England Diocese: London

Tagged with: Building Office building

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Description

TQ 3080 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER TAVISTOCK STREET, WC2
72/46 (south side)
5.2.70 Nos 2 to 10 (even)

G.V. II*

Former Country Life Offices.
Offices. 1904-5 by (Sir) Edwin Lutyens, his first London building commissioned
by the founder of "Country Life" Edward Hudson for whom Lutyens had recently
designed Deanery Garden, Sonning. Red brick and Portland stone, pantile roof.
Unmistakably individual "Wrenaissance" design combined with early Georgian
details, the whole conceived to read in perspective of confined street as well
as from Southampton Street angled view point. 4 storeys with attic windows
inserted in parapet 1956-57 at the same time as the dormers in roof. 7 windows
wide (3:1:3). Tall ground floor faced in deeply channelled stone with central
archivolt arched doorway contained in a grandly inflated "Georgian doorcase"
with Corinthian pilasters backed by half pilasters and enriched carving to
frieze, carrying dosserets to large broken segmental pediment framing central
1st floor cum mezzanine window. Ground floor has recessed,small pane,thick
glazing bar sashes (used throughout) with channelling struck as voussoirs to
flat arches with enriched console-keystones. 1st floor cum mezzanine windows
architraved and console-keyed with segmental heads and sills; they are linked
by stone aprons to tall 2nd floor architraved windows with pulvinated friezes
and courses, the centre window pedimented; square, architraved windows to 3rd
floor. Bold richly moulded stone cornice below parapet-attic; sill band to 2nd
floor and impost band to 1st floor cum mezzanine. Fine tall stone dressed brick
chimney stacks to front pitch, flanking ridge. Interior has monumentally
treated entrance hall, cross vaulted with a Doric column screen to the
staircase rising round lift shaft with gallery half-landing overlooking hall;
main suite of rooms on 2nd floor piano nobile with deep coved ceilings
dramatically emphasised over chimney breasts, architraved and entablatured
doorcases etc.
The Lutyens Memorial Volumes: Christopher Hussey.

Listing NGR: TQ3043480823

External Links

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