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Clearview is an Art Deco house in the town of Purley, Surrey, England of local and architectural importance. Completed in 1926, the house was built by George Cushing, a successful and well regarded quantity surveyor and engineer.
George Cushing together with his wife and two young sons lived in nearby Kenmore Road from which the family enjoyed a wonderful and unobstructed view of the luscious Purley Downs towards the Kenley Aerodrome. This inspired Mr Cushing to build a tremendously modern dream home occupying a favourable spot overlooking an uninterrupted vista of endless greenery. Mr Cushing approached a local landowner to purchase a good sized plot of land large enough to accommodate a generous sized house and tennis court. A deal was done and in 1924 building works commenced.
The house stands prominently on the corner of Downs Court Road and what was at the time Commemoration Road; now St James Road.
Fighting against the traditions of Victorian and Edwardian architectural features that dominated England's streetscape for some 80 years, Clearview embraced all that was Art Deco and in vogue at the time; straight lines, sharp angles and simplicity. Deliberately positioned high up and south facing the house enjoys all day sun. When built the house boasted to the ground floor a wide entrance hall, billiards room, drawing room, dining room, conservatory, large kitchen with walk in pantry, downstairs lavatory, scullery and coal bunker and equipped with servants bell. To the first floor, the home enjoyed 4 bedrooms, 3 of which were extraordinarily large and the fourth a maid's room and a bathroom with separate water closet. In addition, the home had a cellar and commensurate with classical Art Deco design albeit controversially unusual for the time, the roof was flat to accommodate a roof garden. One of the main luxuries was the fully laid tennis Court and well manicured garden.
Clearview embraced the liberating, forward thinking and less formal period of 1920's England, catering to frequent guests and famous locally for its regular tennis parties. Guests enjoyed rounds of tennis during the day followed by drinks for the ladies in the drawing room whilst gentlemen retired to play billiards.
The glamour of the 1920's and 1930's at Clearview suffered a short shelf life. With the onset of World War II, the Cushing family vacated the house possibly due to its close proximity to the Kenley Aerodrome, easily navigated by the Germans. The house suffered bomb damage resulting in the windows being blown out. Seeing the funny side, locals remarked that the Germans had a "clear view". After the Cushings vacated the house the Fawn family moved in. During the war years, at a time of uncertainty and austerity; a far cry from the glamorous 1920's, there was no time to enjoy extravagances such as tennis so the lawn was used for growing vegetables. The interconnecting reception rooms were blocked to make separate rooms.
In 1953 the house was acquired by the Beharrell family where it remained in ownership for almost 60 years before being rescued by its current owners. Those 60 years saw many changes owing in part to age but also to serve as a practical family home and not as a venue for frequent parties; it's original purpose. The garden, full of brambles, was returned to a large turfed lawn similar to how it was originally when a tennis court. The bedroom fireplaces were removed in the 1960's, their purpose redundant due to the introduction of central heating. The single glazed crittall style windows were replaced with UPVC double glazing. The conservatory having suffered severe decay was pulled down in 2004 for health and safety reasons. Roof leaks caused severe structural and aesthetic damage. The house suffered mold and general decay owing to years of neglect. The house showed little hint of its former Art Deco splendour.
Clearview was rescued from near demolition on two occasions; in 2003 and 2008. Together with the neighbouring properties, Clearview grabbed the attention of developers due to the combined land size, enough to make way for 12 new houses. On very generous offers being made for all three properties, planning permission was submitted for the demolition of the houses and the erection of new homes but on both occasions the Council refused permission.
Following rejection of two planning applications, Clearview went up for sale in 2011 but owing to a high price tag and the extent of works required the house remained on the market well into 2012 until a deal was reached with the current owners, Paul and Jenny Camlett, whom the vendors thought would do it most justice.
Requiring substantial renovations the present owners have re-wired the house, re-opened the previously interconnecting rooms to the exact measurements, plastered all the walls, introduced cornicing of the Art Deco style, sanded and filled all wood floors, replaced lintels, joists, ceilings and plaster, restored the decaying French doors and put in a new but classical black and white Art Deco bathroom with walk in shower. The UPVC windows are replaced with double glazed aluminium crittal style windows more in keeping with the Art Deco era. Following replacement of the windows the house will be rendered. Minor works are intended to the front to soften the large expanse of paving with brick fencing and hedges. To the rear large scale works are required to remove and rebuild the original collapsing patio.
Notable Residents
The second son of George Cushing was the actor Peter Cushing OBE, who lived at the house for many years from childhood to early adulthood.
Local and Architectural Importance
Clearview is a unique one off architecturally designed house specific to the needs of George Cushing. The only house in the street initially it is totally out of keeping with pre existing houses in nearby streets and those that followed in the same road.
Being the home of one of Britain's most iconic actors, famous for his roles in Hammer films and later in life as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars, Peter Cushing affords the house added provenance.