Region ID

Work ID

Manual Reference

Type

Title

Architect

Date of design

Year of unveiling

Unveiling details

Road

Precise Location

A to Z Ref

OS Ref

Postcode

Work is

Listing Status

Duty of Care

Commissioned by

Notes

Four panels and a pediment carved in stone around the front doors, beneath a large circular portico. In the centre is a semi-circular pediment over the main doors with an eagle in relief. It has its wings outstretched, and the date 1890 in raised letters in an ornate surround beneath the eagle’s feet. There are two cornucopias, one on each side, with exotic fruits including pomegranates and pineapples. Stylised and elaborate leaves form the decoration round these motifs. An outer arch runs from the ground right round over the pediment and down the sides of the door. It has a repeated pattern, a design of three stylised flowers and grapes, in the border. Filling in the square between the pilasters on either side of the door is a mythical creature with jaws open, eagle-type wings and a long neck, emerging from leaves. A dragon? There is a window on either side of the door, covered by grillwork, with a relief panel above on a level with the eagle pediment. The reliefs have the North family crest in the centre, comprising two chevron stripes across the middle, with two stars above and one below. They are surrounded by swags and tails of exotic fruit with flowers, bows and stylised leaves. They are quite ornate and the design is the same in both panels. Beneath, in a separate rectangular panel, is the motto in carved raised letters on a scroll with leaf decoration round it, ANIMO ET FIDE. Ornate window grills in black-painted wrought iron using the same pattern of leaves. The leaf motifs are substantial and protrude from the ironwork all round the upright bars which they are decorating, so they can be seen through the window from inside. The windows have a decorative border with repeated stylised motif carved in the stonework round them. Side panels continue the series of reliefs; these are at right angles to the front, set on the side walls inside the large porch above square arches with the same border round as the windows have. Crest with a lion’s head facing left with a thick collar depicting two bands of shields round its neck. Fruit and decoration fill in the panel round it. The oak doors are carved all over, and have large moulded roundels in the centre of each but these have no decoration inside them. On each door, the top panel is a narrow rectangle depicting cherubs supporting an urn. The panel above the roundels shows a man’s face with a long beard and moustache, and wings or scrolls on the ears. Mythical dragon creatures on either side emerging from leaves. The panel below has two griffins facing outwards with elaborate arrangements of leaves and floral decoration. The bottom panel is a narrow rectangle depicting half a female figure with wings outspread behind the head and more leaf decoration. There are narrow panels of wrought ironwork complementing the carving, set into the stonework down the side of the doors. Inside, the decoration of the hall reflects the carving outside, with similar panels and a carved fireplace. There is a Civic Trust Award plaque from 1964. There is an electrical anti-bird device consisting of wires on top of the pilasters, but this is almost invisible.

Colonel John Thomas North 1842-96 was a coal merchant’s son, born in Yorkshire. He went to Peru as an engineer in 1869 at the age of 27, and made a huge fortune in South America mining nitrates which were used for artificial fertilisers. On his return to England in 1882 he became known as the ‘Nitrate King’. He was one of the wealthiest men in Britain, a public benefactor, an extrovert and popular personality, becoming a ‘colonel’ because he financed a regiment in the Territorial Army. When he died in 1896 thousands lined his funeral route. When he returned to England he leased a house at Avery Hill in June 1883, within easy reach of the City, however he soon required a house that was both more impressive and would provide space to display his collection of paintings and sculptures. He bought the house and estate at Avery Hill and commissioned the architect Thomas W. Cutler to ‘make additions and alterations’ to the cost of £40,000 while he was away on a trip to Chile. He was given an estimate of £65,000, but when this became a projected £100,000, North dismissed Cutler and hired his assistant J.O. Cooke. The result, in 1891, was a magnificent 50 room mansion in Italianate style, which included a sculpture gallery, picture gallery, a large winter garden which still remains, electric light and central heating. The Eltham to Bexley road was re-routed so that it ran further away from the house. When the mansion was put up for sale after North’s death no buyer was found. It was eventually sold, for £40,000, but was not lived in again and in 1902 the London County Council bought it, together with some of the parkland, for £25,000. They opened the park to the public in 1903 and later some of the rooms. In 1904 (?1906) it became the first women’s residential teacher training college. In 1908 the college acquired Southwood House to the south of the park, where North had lived while his mansion was being built, and built halls of residence. In the 1970s other subjects began to be taught at the college and the site is now the Mansion Site of the University of Greenwich. Most of the house was destroyed during the Second World War and most of the current buildings on the site are postwar. The gatehouse, entrance hall to the mansion, picture and sculpture galleries (now the library) remain, also the Winter Garden, which is open to the public, and the public park surrounding it.

circa

raw year

Condition

At risk

Inscriptions

Signatures

Pediment panel

White stone

140cm high x 254cm wide x 20cm deep

Four panels

White stone

Each: 140cm high x 115cm wide x 20cm deep

Arch

White stone

470cm high x 313cm wide x 20cm deep

Whole work

White stone

470cm high x 850cm wide x 20cm deep

Grills

Wrought iron

230cm high x 155cm wide x 20cm deep

Accretions

Slightly dirty especially on top of projecting reliefs

Abrasions, cracks, splits

The bottom right area of the door is worn through use

None

None