Description

TF4509
1113/5/241
31.10.1983

WISBECH

SOUTH BRINK PLACE
No 1
Octavia Hill Birthplace
Museum

GV
II*

Includes: Nos 7 AND 8 SOUTH BRINK

Pair of houses, built as single house c.1740, extended east by 3 window bays c.1750-51 and converted to 2 houses. Rear extensions early C19; house split into 3 properties c.1850. No.1 South Brink Place converted to Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum 1994-95. Local brown brick with stucco dressings; hipped slate roofs. Double pile plan.
Exterior: 3 storeys with basement; 8-window range. 2 matching doorcases with shouldered stuccoed architraves, pulvinated friezes and segmental pediments. Half-glazed door to left (No.7), 8-panelled door to right, the upper 2 panels glazed. Basement forecourt railings between doors set in front of bowed display window converted from 2 sashes early C20. Fenestration of 6/6 unhorned early C19 sashes under gauged skewback arches, those to first and second floors over left doorway blind (set in front of east return wall of original single house). Stuccoed platbands between floors and under parapet. Parapet rebuilt early C19 and central pediment introduced. 3 stacks irregularly placed. West return to South Brink Place is 4-window range, the windows of second bay blind. 2 arched doorways to right within stuccoed cases containing 8-panelled doors, that to left half-glazed. Fenestration of 6/6 unhorned early C19 sashes. Stuccoed platbands and parapet continue. Prominent stack on wall plane.
Rear elevation with one gabled 2-storey extension east and west, that to west c.1740 with flat-roofed extension added early C19 in form of Chinese loggia: 2 open arches (subsequently glazed and boarded) within open lattice timberwork. First floor with central ogee-headed 2-light casement flanked by one 8/8 unhorned sash either side with arched heads with intersecting tracery. East extension added 1818 as banking hall for James Hill; converted to domestic use 1825 on collapse of Wisbech bank. 2 arched 6/6 unhorned ground-floor sashes and 2 plain 6/6 unhorned sashes to first floor. Additional centre-hung casement to north. Main rear wall with tripartite ground-floor sash without glazing bars and one 6/6 sash to each floor above, the first-floor sash with horns. One additional second-floor casement and arched staircase window to west.
Interior: No. 7 has late C18 staircase and modern office details. No. 8 with passageway to staircase hall, the passage now opened to the east for offices. Mid C18 closed string staircase in rear pile with turned balusters, moulded handrail and panelled square newels. Matching panelled dado. Central first-floor drawing room with doorcase with fluted pilasters and block entablatures. Full plank and muntin panelling and dado panelling. Lugged fire surround with egg and dart mouldings and marble insert of c.1840 with Chinese pastoral scene. No. 1 South Brink Place with fine reception room to north, formerly the dining room: doorcase with pulvinated frieze and cornice, on the former stylized acanthus carving. Lugged fire surround with egg and dart mouldings beneath frieze with raised floral carvings and 2 consoles to mantelshelf. Shouldered and eared overmantel panel. Full plank and muntin panelling and dado rail. Principal bedroom immediately above (display room): square panelling below dado rail, plank and muntin panelling above. Fireplace with C19 marble insert. Kitchen to ground floor rear (shop) with secondary late C18 staircase with stick balusters and ramped and wreathed handrail.

House noted as birthplace of Octavia Hill (1838-1912).
W.D. Wilson: Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum, unpublished history, 1994

Bibliography

5080 The Victoria History of the Counties of England (LF Salzman),
The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the
Isle of Ely (LF Salzman), 1953, Vol 4, Page(s) 242
5080 The Victoria History of the Counties of England (LF Salzman),
The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the
Isle of Ely (LF Salzman), 1953, Vol 4, Page(s) 262
5080 The Buildings of England, Cambridgeshire (Nikolaus Pevsner), 1970, Page(s) 501

Listing NGR: TF4596409612

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17543687

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)