‘Chiswick in 50 Buildings’ – and the 51st and 52nd!

Chiswick in 50 Buildings

If you’re ‘Exploring Chiswick’, this book should enhance your knowledge and enjoyment. Chiswick in 50 Buildings by Lucy McMurdo presents an engaging and accessible perspective of the area’s rich architectural and historical heritage. Click here to buy a copy from the publisher at a 10 per cent discount.


We gave two copies of the book as prizes in our ‘Exploring Chiswick’ competition in 2021. Entrants were invited to study the list and suggest one more to be added as the ’51st Building’ – and why. Scroll down to see the result and the buildings that were nominated. The following buildings are featured in the book:


Chiswick in 50 Buildings


01        Old Burlington, 1-2 Church Street

02        Bedford and Eynham Houses, Chiswick Mall

03        Church Street: The Old Vicarage, Lamb Cottage & Wistaria House

04        Chiswick Square and the George & Devonshire Pub, Burlington Lane

05        Ship House and Dutch House 56 & 60 Strand on the Green

06        Hopkin Morris Cottages – Strand on the Green

07        Walpole House, Chiswick Mall

08        Zoffany House, 65 Strand on the Green

09        Hogarth House, Hogarth Lane

10        Riverside pubs: The City Barge and Bulls Head, Strand on the Green

11        Chiswick House, Burlington Lane

12        Chiswick House gardens and grounds

13        Hammersmith Terrace

14        Riverside Buildings, Strand on the Green

15        George IV public house – 185 Chiswick High Road

16        Foster Books 183, Chiswick High Road

17        The Lamb Brewery, off Church Street

18        Bedford House, The Avenue, Bedford Park

19        Zachary House, 70 Strand on the Green

20        Fuller’s Griffin Brewery, Great West Road, Chiswick Lane; Mawson Arms and The Fox and Hounds. Mawson Lane

21        Christ Church, Turnham Green

22        British Grove Studios, 20 British Grove

23        The Steam Packet public house, 85 Strand on the Green

24        Bedford Park and 3 Blenheim Road

25        Former Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace

26        London Buddhist Vihara – former Bedford Park Club, The Avenue, Bedford Park

27        Chiswick Park Station, Bollo Lane and Acton Lane

28        68-74 Grove Park Road

29        Tabard Inn and Chiswick Playhouse, Bath Road

30        St Michael and All Angels Church, Bath Road

31        St Nicholas Church, Church Street

32        St Nicholas Churchyard and Burial Ground

33        Said House, Chiswick Mall

34        High Road House, 162-170 Chiswick High Road

35        The Old Cinema, 160 Chiswick High Road

36        Chiswick Public Library, 1 Duke’s Avenue

37        The Fire Station, 197 Chiswick High Road

38        The Crown public house, 210 Chiswick High Road

39        Ancient inns, Chiswick High Road

40        Sanderson’s and Barley Mow Passage

41        The Voysey Building, Barley Mow Passage (and The Voysey House, South Parade)

42        Harold Pinter’s home. 373, Chiswick High Road

43        Former Tram Depot and Power House, 70-72 Chiswick High Road

44        Former Army and Navy Furniture Depository, Heathfield Terrace

45        Our Lady of Grace and St Edward, 247 Chiswick High Road

46        Former Pier House Laundry, 86-94 Strand on the Green

47        Chiswick Empire, 414-424 Chiswick High Road

48        Chiswick Quay

49        The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God and the Royal Martyrs, 57 Harvard Road

50        Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road

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The 51st and 52nd buildings – winners of our Book Competition

See the result: Two winners share the prize as ‘Chiswick’s 51st Building’   
Joint Winners announced for ‘Chiswick’s 51st Building Prize’ – ChiswickW4.com


The judges took into account the number of entries and claims of historic, architectural, artistic and literary merit.
The judges were:
– Torin Douglas, director, Chiswick Book Festival
– Karen Liebreich, co-founder, Abundance London and Chiswick Timeline: A History in Art and Maps
– Charles Lawrence, architect and publisher in Chiswick
– Lucy McMurdo, author, ‘Chiswick in 50 Buildings’.


Entries submitted for the ’51st Building’ competition

See reasons for entries below – with suggested links for more information. Winners marked **.
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51st Building - top group


** St Michael’s Church, Elmwood Road (9 submissions), because…
…of its ‘free flamboyant Gothic stone tracery,’ described by Pevsner.
…it shows architect, William Caroe, at the height of his powers.
… of its Wilkinson stained glass windows and Caroe tiled arches.

St Paul’s Church, Grove Park (2 submissions)
… it was founded by the Duke of Devonshire. Film set.
… of the many artistic, cinematic and literary connections.

St Alban’s Church, Acton Green
… we were married there in 1976.

St Mary’s Convent & Nursing Home, Burlington Lane (2 submissions)
… of its striking but underrated architecture by Charles F Whitcombe.
… its elegant architecture reflects its compassion and adaptability throughout history.

Rose Cottage, Strand on the Green (Nancy Mitford’s home) (2 submissions)
… it was the home of Nancy Mitford and the Hon. Peter Rodd from 1933 to 1936.
… Nancy Mitford is a wonderful writer who deserves more recognition.

Turnham Green Church Hall, Heathfield Gardens (now Heathfield House School)
… its situation and possible Arts and Crafts architecture intrigue me.

Chiswick Station House
… since 1849 it has welcomed folk to Chiswick; royalty and commuter alike.

Station Gardens, Grove Park
…Emblematic of Nye Bevan’s transformative post war housing project.

Arlington Park Mansions (EM Forster’s home)
…the home of E M Forster, typical of the Edwardian mansion blocks in Chiswick.


51st building - second group


Hartington Court, Hartington Road
… it is a fine example of 1930s Art Deco style.

The Voysey House, 14 South Parade (2 submissions – but the house is already one of the ’50 Buildings’ in the book)

Priory House (‘A Doctor’s House’), Priory Avenue (now Chiswick & Bedford Park Preparatory School) (2 submissions)
… of EJ May’s pioneering air-conditioning system for Dr Hogg’s surgery in 1882.
… it was originally a purpose built doctor’s home.

Carrie Reichardt’s Mosaic House, Fairlawn Grove
…iconic modern Chiswick house with real, interesting stories attached (literally).

The Glebe Estate
… we should recognise this good example of housing for workers.

Chiswick Bridge
… a beacon across the River Thames.

The Turrets, 2a Chatsworth Road
… an Englishman’s home is his castle, Art Deco or not.

Bolton Hotel, Duke Road
… it proclaims Victorian Chiswick’s rich, largely forgotten, working-class cultural heritage.

** Chiswick Park Footbridge
… it fits and functions so well between nature and commerce.

The Duke of Sussex, South Parade
… of its bearing, architectural distinction and accessible, “unusually rich … interior”.

Chiswick Park tube station (1 submission – but the station is already one of the ’50 Buildings in the book)

La Trompette, Devonshire Road
… it’s independent and classy, the epitome of Chiswick.


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