NHER 58818 (Building record) - St Bennet's and boundary wall to north, 37 Vicarage Road, Cromer

July 2012. Listed. Grade II.
List description (S1):
House built in 1893 to designs by George John Skipper.
MATERIALS: knapped flint with quoins, bay windows, gable parapets and other dressings in finely jointed, rich red brick, under a roof covered with red clay plain tiles.
PLAN: the house is attached to the west end of a terrace built in 1891. It is oriented westwards and has a long, narrow plan with a rear two-storey projection.
EXTERIOR (abbreviated): the house has irregular elevations in an eclectic, Queen Anne-style. It consists of two storeys, a half-basement and attic under a steeply pitched roof with moulded kneelers and crow-stepped gables which are accentuated by moulded caps. In the north gable head, a small, corbelled, shaft rises through the apex and is surmounted by a ball finial. Rising through the apex on the south gable end is a wide chimney stack with circular pots and moulded banding, the upper band enriched with a dentilled course. A similar stack rises through the west pitch and is incorporated into the right hand side of the porch; and there is a plainer stack at the north end of the east pitch. There is a modillion course at eaves level, and also on the two-bay windows on the west elevation.
The principal, west-facing, three-bay façade is dominated by a projecting three-storey porch which rises through the eaves and gives the impression of a battlemented gatehouse. A flight of steps leads up to the elaborate ground-floor entrance which has a central projecting section under a moulded triangular pediment enriched with egg-and-dart. Above this is a frieze, enriched with egg-and-dart and incorporating the pediment, which is flanked by panels of carved brick depicting flowing foliage and two banners carved with ‘St Bennets’ and ‘1893’.
The south elevation has two small windows at attic level, both uPVC, and a two-storey projection under a hipped roof. This, relatively plain, projection has the greatest expanse of knapped flint on the building, only interrupted by the red brick quoins and window dressings. The west face is lit by a one-over-one pane uPVC replacement window, positioned under the eaves. The south face has a C20 fire escape leading up to the first floor, and a single window on the ground floor. The single-bay north elevation is dominated by a canted bay window rising from the basement to the first floor. It is similar to the rectangular bay on the left of the porch, except it has a brick parapet and the carved frieze depicts a peacock and peahens framed by foliage with side panels showing partridges and pheasants. The attic is lit by a group of four leaded casements divided by mullions which have a wide lintel and a moulded triangular pediment.
INTERIOR: this has not been inspected but is said to survive with a high degree of intactness, including joinery, ceiling roses, and ten fireplaces.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Along the north boundary is a low wall of knapped flint and red brick with coping in vitrified brick. The pair of red brick gate piers have knapped flint panels and shallow, pyramidal stone caps.
HISTORY (abbreviated): Cromer began to become a fashionable destination for sea bathing in the late 18th century, but it remained relatively exclusive until the construction of the railway stations in 1877 and 1887. The increase in popularity as a holiday destination in the late 19th and early 20th century resulted in the construction of a wide variety of buildings that have contributed to the present-day character of the town, including several designed by architect George Skipper.
St Bennet’s was built for Samuel Soames Jarvis in 1893 to designs by George John Skipper. The hand carved brick panels are attributed to the Norwich-based sculptor called Minns who regularly worked for Skipper on buildings, including several Cromer buildings. The Jarvis family were instrumental in the development of Cromer in the late 19th century and owned several hotels in the town, and it is said that Samuel Soames Jarvis built St Bennet’s to provide a home for a widowed relation and to offer hospitality to Christians visiting the area. The Bishop of Norwich used St Benets as his summer residence during the late 19th and early 20th century. The interior of the house is said to be almost intact, and, externally, the only alterations are the replacement of three small windows with uPVC. A historic photograph dated 1898-1900 shows that the boundary wall had iron railings which have since been removed.
Compiled by H. Hamilton (HES), 24 May 2013.