Description

HERTFORD

TL3213SW BYDE STREET, Bengeo
817-1/15/274 (North side)
12/04/73 Port Hill House
(Formerly Listed as:
FARQHUAR STREET
Porthill House)

II

House, formerly farmhouse. C17, altered C19 and C20.
Colourwashed brick north range, stuccoed south range. Old
tiled double gabled roofs. Double-depth plan, with entrance
now central against extended house. 5 bays, originally 3.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attics. North elevation of first floor
has three 4-light wood casement windows with divided glazing,
alternating with 2-light, that right of centre extended
downwards to form landing window; plat band at first-floor
level. Ground floor with two 2-light and two 4-light wood
casement windows, with broad 4-light casement windows in outer
bays left and right, beneath segmental brick arches. Central
Regency style porch with cambered segmental arch and a concave
metal canopy roof; early C20 half-glazed door and sidelights
beneath broad segmental traceried fanlight. Single storey
lean-to at left.
South elevation remodelled early C20, 5 bays with 2-light and
4-light metal casement windows with leaded glazing. Recessed
loggia in centre on ground floor.
Attics with 3 gabled casement dormers on north and south
elevations. Red brick chimneys, those on east above
substantial external chimneybreasts, with long cream tapered
terracotta pots with projecting rims.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Port Hill House was the home of Thomas
Dimsdale, the pioneer of Smallpox inoculation, and the
building was known as 'The Inoculation House'. In 1763 The Old
Pest House (qv) was built to the south on a plot adjoining
Dimsdale's garden.
(Hertfordshire Countryside: Roberts E: Thomas Dimsdale and the
Victory over Smallpox: -1980: 20-1).

Listing NGR: TL3215313326

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26682799

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

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014