Building record 1210500000 - DRUMMERS YARD, AMERSHAM ROAD (Birchens Spring)

Grade II. c.1938 house by John Campbell for C Rissik. Whitened brick with Cornish slate roofs and tall stacks. A complex cruciform plan of mainly 2 storeys rising to 3 in principal block. Steep pitched roofs, unornamented windows and much play of masses at right angles to each other and of differing heights. Apparently a stripped version of Scottish inspiration. The main West front is a transverse corridor block of 2 storeys with deep-set windows under eaves of 1st floor, a row of 7 lights and a row of 9. Ground floor of evenly spaced paired casements with simplified flat hoods over. Arched door with hood. Over the top of this range to the left side rises the gable end of the main block, with a 3-light window. To the right is a crosswing with plain walls to the court and gable ended to the West with an end wall stack. Arched ground floor windows to end wall and garden side. To left of entrance court is long 2-storey range with projecting circular tower. Tower has conical roof and side wall stack, long upper floor windows and close-set small windows to ground floor. Range beyond has deep-set upper windows under eaves close spaced and wider set larger ground floor windows. A carriage arch leads through to service court. Garden side: rear of entrance front has 4 arch formerly open loggia with 4 windows above. Left hand gable of crosswing has 2 arched ground floor windows and 2 upper windows set to one side. Main block of 3 storeys has much plain wall and at 1st floor paired arched windows set close to corner opening on to a balcony. Six- light upper window in East gable. A loggia running East connects with a theatre block at right angles, gable ended to North and South with plain arched doorway on South end and 4 long windows on East side. The interior has woodwork by Peter Waals, some painted decoration by A W M Rissik, a staircase with marble inlaid risers and is generally of unusual elaboration for the period. Originally called Birchens Spring (B1).
Buildings report dated Nov 1995 held at NMR (B3)