TQ 56 43 BIDBOROUGH HIGH STREET (west side) 11/19 Deacon House 1.7.87 II House, built as a dower house to Mabledon Park, Southborough parish (1987 list description). Circa 1830, probably remodelled and extended in the circa 1850s. The 1987 list description suggests that the architect may have been Decimus Burton "or more probably William Widdicombe". Yellow brick of 2 different types with some glazed headers, sandstone dressings; slate roof; brick stacks. Italianate style. Plan: Built on a north south axis, the entrance on the east. Double depth plan with a south east entrance into a stair hall. An axial corridor divides the west-facing principal rooms from the service rooms to the east, with a service stair at the north end of the corridor. Straight joints and variations in the brickwork and window forms suggest that the existing Italianate design is a remodelling of an earlier house. Exeterior: 2 storeys. The roof has very deep eaves carried on brackets. Asymmetrical west (garden) elevation with a deep plinth and 2 3-light 2-storey canted bays, 8 windows in all, plus a one-bay single storey block at the left end with a verandah to the garden. All the windows are round-headed with stone architraves and impost blocks, the first floor windows 6-pane sashes with aprons and a sill band, the ground floor windows 2-pane plate glass sashes with a triple window between the canted bays. The left hand single- storey block has a timber lattice verandah and a half-glazed C19 door with moulded panels below a round-headed recess with a keyblock. The brickwork of the left hand canted bay is not tied into the front wall and the brickwork of the bay and the main block to its north differs from the rest. The 3 plus one window east (entrance) elevation has brick pilasters and a projecting brick porch to the left with rusticated brick pilasters, a brick frieze and moulded cornice. Round-headed doorway with stone architrave, keyblock and impost blocks. Heavily-moulded 4-panel front door with a fanlight. The left return of the porch has a round-headed recess. Above the porch an elaborate chimney with divided shafts and moulded brackets to the eaves. The first floor windows match those on the garden elevation, the ground floor windows are early C19 small-pane round-headed sashes with margin glazing. The south return has pilasters to the gable and a segmental arch above the first floor segmental headed 6-pane sash and a 2-leaf glazed door with a fanlight. To the left a divided chimney-stack rises on either side of a round-headed recess. The north return, overlooking a small service court, also retains C19 doors and windows. Interior: The C19 interior is very complete, although one partition dividing 2 of the principal rooms has been removed. The principal rooms retain C19 plaster cornices, original joinery including shutters, doors and skirting boards, and C19 chimney-pieces and grates survive in almost every room. The kitchen and north ground floor room preserve vertical shutters. The early C19 principal stair has stick balusters and a ramped mahogany handrail. The house is said to have been built for the Deacon family, who made their money from banking. It was originally called Glensyde. A very complete C19 Italianate villa. Listing NGR: TQ5644443357