History

One of an unusual pair, with Melbourne House at East Back, of early C19 semi-detached houses built to face down Main Street, and formerly with the famous Pembroke elm tree in the gardens. Their history is uncertain, Hamilton House is said to be associated with the Hamilton family and perhaps Lady Hamilton of the Nelson era. It was occupied in 1926 by F. E. Greathead, solicitor.

Exterior

Hamilton House and Melbourne House comprise two two-storey semi-detached houses, unpainted stucco, lined as ashlar with slate hipped roofs whose garden elevations form a single four-bay composition with shallow central projection with pedimental gable and niche at garden level with bust on fluted pedestal. Close eaves except for centre gable which has Greek mutules to cornice. Basement and two storeys, two bays to central projection with stone steps up to ground floor windows over basement area, and one bay to each end. Twelve-pane sash windows to upper floor, 18-pane to ground floor. Broad band between floors and raised plinth containing basement openings. Side elevations are plain with long staircase window breaking band to centre, 12-pane window each floor towards rear and arched doorway towards front. Slate sills. Brick side wall stacks, the rear wings hipped to N with brick end stack, and enclose a small courtyard.
Hamilton House has a high plinth on the S side, broken for entrance door, with basement plate-glass sash window to left and basement door and similar sash window to right, the window aligned with those above. Entrance door is up rendered flight of six steps with renewed iron railings, C20 door and leaded patterned fanlight.
Garden steps have rounded nosings and C20 rails.

Interior

Steps up from front door to main ground floor level. Arch at head of stairs with moulded arch and pilasters. Plaster ceiling over with rose. Front room to W with moulded cornice patterned with shells, ceiling border with rosettes in scroll bordered with ribboned reeding. C19 white marble fireplace with roundels at top corners. Six-panel doors. Staircase off axial hall to E of entrance stairs. Acanthus ceiling rose in hall. Elliptical staircase with C19 or early C20 twisted balusters and ramped rail. Dining room to E with elliptical-arched sideboard recess, black marble C19 fireplace, mid C19 cornice and acanthus rose, and 6-panel door with bordered panels. Fireplace with shouldered architrave on upper floor.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a late Georgian town house, part of an unusual semi-detached pair prominently facing down Main Street. Good interior detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29506652

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

• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)