Building record 0422100000 - LITTLE SHARDELOES, HIGH STREET

House built mainly late 17th century with later additions. See full description (B4).
Identified by Hastings Kelke as manor house of Amersham manor (B2).
Building restored c.1978. (B1), stands at W end of High Street, Amersham.
(NB: seems not Amersham manor house since this was probably Bury Farm (04226).
Grade II. C17 or earlier, cased in brick, altered C18. Red and some chequer brick. Old tile roof, large stack at west end of north block another on east wing. Two storeys and attic, moulded brick first floor band. Four gables to north front, that on left with 2 blocked openings to each floor, second from left with 2-storey gabled porch having round headed doorway with impost bands and key- block, set in rectangular frame with brick pilasters, entablature and pediment with pulvinated frieze. Tall double hung sash window above, and two similar on right of porch. Central gable has early C19 shallow bow projection to ground floor with tripartite sash window and modillion cornice, double hung sash window to first floor and 2-light leaded casement to attic. Similar window to right on first floor, then fourth lower gable over one double hung sash window to each floor. Modern 2-storey purple brick wing on west. East elevation has two gables on right, one-window section on left. 2-light leaded attic casements to gables, sash windows to first floor. (RCHM Ip 7 MON 25)(B1).





[SU 9525 9750] Little Shardeloes [T.I.] (1)

Little Shardeloes, a brick house of two storeys and an attic, formerly whitewashed or plastered, is roughly half-H shaped on plan. The main block, late 17th-century; the south east wing is 18th and the south west wing 19th-century. The north elevation has three gables, a two-storeyed, gabled porch; and a round-headed doorway with projecting abaci and keystone, and moulded architrave with frieze, cornice and pediment. The east elevation has two gables, the south gable incomplete; behind that on the north, set back from the wall, is a higher gable above the roof; a projecting string-course with moulded lower edge, marks the level of the first floor. The south elevation of the main block has two original gables and an original doorway is said to have been the former main entrance. The old oak door has strap hinges. On the west side of the south east wing is a gable above the roof, set back from the wall below. The chimney stack near the west end of the original part of the house is of late 17th-century brick (B4).

Little Shardeloes, now the residence of Mrs. John Drake, has evidently been a place of importance, and not improbably the Manor House of Amersham. A building of different dates, the back is apparently the oldest part. On the north wall of the garden is the date 1688, with the letters C.H. Sir William Drake, Bt., acquired by purchase the Manor of Amersham, thus uniting it to Shardeloes. [A0/59/341/8] (B2).

Devolution of the Manors of Amersham and Shardeloes. (B3)

"Little Shardeloes. Late C.17. Red brick, old tile roof, 3 gables. Each gable except left-hand one has 1 double-hung sash window with cambered relieving arch. Left central gabled bay with 1st floor double-hung sash window and ground floor round headed 2-fold door with surround of brick arch with impost bands and key, all set in rectangular panel with brick entablature and pediment with pulvinated frieze. Right-hand modern wing of mauve brick, Grade II." [Refers to authorities (2) and (4).] (B6).

This house, as described by the preceding authorities, is unoccupied but in good condition. It is owned by the Shardeloe or Drake estate but is due to be sold if development plans are
passed. The inscription on the N. garden wall, brick and flint, noted by Auth. 3, was not found but it apparently applies to a scratched inscription on a single brick (a). Extent marked on the Sp. 25" & 25" A.M (B7).

The house is converted to flats within a housing estate named Little Shardeloes. As described and not outstanding (B8).

NRHE insert 2001, update 2014 (B9).