IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
East End Road, LONDON, N3 3QH

The right side of the building was constructed circa 1860 as an Italianate villa, with the extension to the left including the tower added circa 1880. It is a Grade II Listed Building and the English Heritage Listed Buildings website describes it thus:- "House, later used as municipal offices. Circa 1860 villa in Italianate style, probably extended to left circa 1880. Stuccoed with slate roof and end stuccoed chimneystacks. Symmetrical three bay part to right with taller set back tower to left. Right hand part of three storeys and basement three windows. Wide bracket eaves cornice with paterae and bands between floors. Second floor has three round-headed arched windows and two blank arches, first floor has three sashes with vertical glazing bars only and ground floor has two projecting square bays with piers with foliate capitals and central porch approached by a flight of cement steps. Tower is higher, of three storeys with steeply pitched roof with patterned slates, cast iron cresting and oeil de boeuf window. Second floor has two round headed windows and a central panel engraved "HERTFORD HOUSE". First floor has central window with curved pediment and decorated apron flanked by sashes. Ground floor has central window flanked by foliate pilasters." In fact the panel engraving does say "HERTFORD LODGE".

This is the rear of the building described in Image, with the four storey tower and the splayed gable at the north corner of the 1884 stone built extension with the cartouche and motto "REGNANT QUI SERVANT both visible. The house is reputedly the most haunted in London, and, if you are into that sort of pastime, overnight ghosthunts appear to be available here http://www.hauntedhappenings.co.uk/ghost_hunts/Avenue_House.php

This is a grade II listed building, converted to flats after being council offices. Shared description: The right side of the building was constructed circa 1860 as an Italianate villa, with the extension to the left including the tower added circa 1880. It is a Grade II Listed Building and the English Heritage Listed Buildings website describes it thus:- "House, later used as municipal offices. Circa 1860 villa in Italianate style, probably extended to left circa 1880. Stuccoed with slate roof and end stuccoed chimneystacks. Symmetrical three bay part to right with taller set back tower to left. Right hand part of three storeys and basement three windows. Wide bracket eaves cornice with paterae and bands between floors. Second floor has three round-headed arched windows and two blank arches, first floor has three sashes with vertical glazing bars only and ground floor has two projecting square bays with piers with foliate capitals and central porch approached by a flight of cement steps. Tower is higher, of three storeys with steeply pitched roof with patterned slates, cast iron cresting and oeil de boeuf window. Second floor has two round headed windows and a central panel engraved "HERTFORD HOUSE". First floor has central window with curved pediment and decorated apron flanked by sashes. Ground floor has central window flanked by foliate pilasters." In fact the panel engraving does say "HERTFORD LODGE".

The former home of Henry Charles Stephens, now an events venue with a museum space devoted to the history of the Stephens Ink Company. A Grade II listed building described at this http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-475481-avenue-house-finchley

At the junction with East End Road - taken from across the junction in Gravel Hill

Avenue House was originally built in an Italianate style for the Rev Edward Cooper in 1859 and comprised the main buff rendered section of the house to the left. In 1874 it was bought by Henry Charles (Inky) Stephens, son of the inventor of the famous blue-black ink. Stephens subsequently had the stone extension to the right built, around 1884, and this contained his laboratory. When Stephens died in 1918, he bequeathed Avenue House to the people of Finchley, and it was opened to the public in 1928. In 1989 it was severely damaged by fire, but has since been refurbished. The website of the house is here http://www.avenuehouse.org.uk/index.php It is a Grade II Listed Building and the English Heritage Listed Buildings website describes it thus:- "House, now municipal offices. Circa 1859 Italianate villa, much extended and refurbished by James Stephens the ink manufacturer after 1874 and probably c1884. Stuccoed with slate roof and tall brick chimneystacks with acroteria. Roughly L-shaped. South front of three storey; 6 windows, sashes mainly without glazing bars and with cornices. Bracket eaves cornice. Circa 1884 porch and ground floor rooms built out. East wing of c1884 is of stone of two storeys and comprised "Inky Stephens" laboratory and bedroom on the first floor and reception rooms on the ground floor. First floor has two mullioned and transomed windows in gables including splayed gable to north corner with cartouche and motto "REGNANT QUI SERVANT". Four similar ground floor windows. North front incorporates elements of 1859 building but with later curved window, a four storey tower with hipped roof, a wing with splayed bay and Norman arched doorcase and two storey link block with interlaced Norman traceried window and Norman-arched doorcase with corbel heads to octagonal tower." For a view of the rear of the house please see Image

Looking towards Gravel Hill

Avenue House and its gardens were left to the people of Finchley by Henry Charles Stephens in 1918. Full details at http://www.avenuehouse.org.uk .