A Rare Home From a Master of Britain’s Gothic Revival

Laura Latham’s article “A Rare Home from a Master of Britain’s Gothic Revival,” published on The New York Times, spotlights one of Sir George Gilbert Scott’s private houses which he designed during his architectural career.

Fitzroy House

Located in the centre of Lewes, a small town southwest of London, you’ll find a striking red house that’s as Gothic as they come.

Fitzroy house was designed by George Gilbert Scott. Built in 1862, it was commissioned by Hannah Rothschild, a member of the famous banking dynasty. The building served as a library until the Second World War, after which it was used as office space. It was converted into a home in the 70s, and it has stayed that way since.

Sir George Gilbert Scott’s design

With its striking red brickwork, medieval detailing and intricately constructed clock tower, Fitzroy House stands out. It also serves a purpose for the local community, with the Octagon Room serving as a venue for music and theatre.

For all its grandeur on the outside, however, Fitzroy House impresses most on the inside where stone arches and wooden fretwork dominate. Original period features are preserved perfectly with decorative ceiling plasterwork and beams proudly on display.The owners of the home put it up for sale in 2016 for the sum of £950,000 with estate agent Graves Son & Pilcher. It has since sold to a private buyer.

If you’d like to find out more about Fitzroy House, we invite you to read the original article on The New York Times.