Late 19th century house, 'Rayleigh House', 36 High Road (EHER 82357)

Rayleigh House was built for a local farmer William Isaac Belcham in 1873. The architect is unknown although the building reflects the influence of Frederick Chancellor. The house is built of red brick with a slate roof. It is built in a gothic style. There is a single storey flat roof extension to the south. The house was subdivided into flats in 1958 and major alteration took place in 1965-1966 creating four flats from seven. The building originally had stables and a coach house which were in existence until at least 1896. The building was assessed for listing in 2010 but failed to meet the required criteria.

NRHE data transfer: Rayleigh House was built for local farmer William Isaac Belcham in 1873 as attested to by a date stone set in a chimney stack to the rear of the building. The architect is not named, although the building reflects the influence of Frederick Chancellor. It is a substantial red brick Victorian house with a slate roof, occupying an elevated position within much reduced grounds. The building has an asymmetrical façade with brick detailing, in the Gothic style. There is a single-storey flat roof extension to the south with modern fenestration, although the majority of windows are simple four by four sashes. The building has clearly been subdivided into flats and has been encroached upon by modern development. Its stables and coach house (EHER 82358) have been demolished. The loss of outbuildings somewhat detracts from the setting of the building. According to the historic summary provided, in 1944 a VI bomb exploded in the vicinity causing considerable damage to Rayleigh House, lifting roof slates to the front of the building. After the Second World War, plots of the originally extensive grounds were sold off to a local building firm for development. Some of the house was converted into flats in 1958 and major alterations took place in 1965/1966 creating four flats from seven by combining nos; 1 and 7, 2 and 3, 4 and 5; flat 6 was 'modified'. The property was sold in 2000 and appears to have been subdivided further. Rayleigh House is too altered to merit listing in a national context. <1> No List Case: 169782/508118