Duke Street to Brewers Lane

This is part of a local history note on Richmond Green properties. See the start of this local history note.

Numbers 1 to 12 The Green. All Grade II listed buildings.

Number 1 Shakespeare House

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 141)

Dating back to the early 17th century, there is a traditional belief that this was owned by Shakespeare's friend Simon Bardolph with whom the playwright is reputed to have stayed when his company was performing at Richmond Palace, but there is no evidence to substantiate this. From 1760 to 1800 this was the property of Solomon Brown who had moved here from Number 4. From about 1897 to 1926 this was the address of the bicycle manufacturer Beard and Co. The next occupier, Ellis and Son (antique and furniture dealers) were there for over thirty years. The site was occupied from 1979 to 2000 by offices and bookshop of the U.K. centre of the Nichiren Shoshu. It is now a clothes shop.

Number 2

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 140)

An early 18th century house, it was the Richmond Nursing Home from 1903 to 1939. During this time it was also the Office of the Richmond Corporation for Trained Nurses.

Number 3 Gothic House

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 139)

An 18th century house with a late 18th or early 19th century "Gothic" addition at the front. (Numbers 3 and 4 were probably aligned prior to this extension). Used for part of the 19th century as a lodging house, it was here that the young Helen Faucit, later to become a noted actress, stayed during her holidays. In more recent times it was the home of the Courlander family where Kathleen Courlander wrote her popular History of Richmond, published in 1953.

Number 4 Levinge Lodge

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 138)

This brown brick house is first listed in the rate book for 1755 when it was occupied by Solomon Brown, who moved from here to Number 1 in 1760. This may well be the same Solomon Brown who became Sir William Chambers' bricklayer and worked with him on all his local buildings including those at Kew. It presumably acquired its name from R. Levinge-Swift who is listed here in 1865/1866.

From 1887to 1889, it was the Metropolitan Institution Servants Home and then for over 20 years (around 1895 to around 1918) it was the Princess Mary Adelaide Training Home for Young Servants. Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck (1833 to 1897), great-grandmother of the present queen, was President of the home until her death. By 1912, 15 girls were being trained here, most of whom required "special training owing to backwardness, or delicacy of health and lack of early care."

(Number 5)

There has never been a house with this number.

Number 6

(1771/4 Rental Survey numbers 137 and 136)

This house is shown on the 1771 map of the Manor of Richmond as two properties, and is described in the accompanying survey as originally "one messuage". At the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century, the present house was built on the site of these premises. From 1850 to about 1870 the property was used by Miss Anna Hebden as a school, which was later remembered by two of her former pupils as "the most important ladies school in the district."

Number 7

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 135)

In the Court Rolls of 1744, this property is described as "all that customary messe or tenement … formerly in the occupation of Lady Haversham and afterwards of Elizabeth Cicell widow… then …in the occupation of Cole Dr. in Physick." Lady Haversham had married John Thompson, 1st Baron Haversham in 1709 and was widowed the next year. Her husband, who is buried in the chancel of Richmond Parish Church, was created Baron in 1696 for his services to William III whose cause he had vigorously promoted during the previous reign. It is possible that Cole rebuilt the property for between 1726 and 1735 he is rated for land and stables only. Then, in 1736, he is rated for "house, land and stables", but the Court Roll gives no indication of this having happened.

The 1771 Manor map by Richardson shows that numbers 6 and 7 were separated by a passage.

Number 8

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 134-133)

Originally the site of one house, which was owned by Abraham Crop. After his death around 1744 the house was demolished and the present properties erected.

Number 9

From around 1790 to around 1810 this was the home of George Onslow, became 1st Earl of Onslow in 1801, George III visited the house on 1st June 1801 to tell him the news. He held numerous Royal appointments and from 1780 until his death in 1814 was a Lord of the Bedchamber. Horace Walpole refers to visiting the house in 1790 in a letter to the Misses Berry. From 1870 to 1878, the house was used as a ladies' school by Martha Emerson. It is now the offices of a firm of solicitors.

Number 10 Cambridge House, Number 11 Queen Anne House, Number 12

(1771/4 Rental Survey numbers 132, 131 and 130)

The facades of these houses were constructed about 1700, but a building of an earlier date survives in their structures. They have particularly fine cornices and doorcases.