Michael Searles facts for kids
Michael Searles (1750–1813) was a clever English architect. He was known for designing big, fancy houses, especially in London. His most famous project is probably The Paragon in Blackheath.
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Who Was Michael Searles?
Michael Searles was born in 1750. His father, also named Michael Searles, was a surveyor in Greenwich. A surveyor is someone who measures land and helps plan buildings.
Learning the Trade
From 1765, Searles's father worked for Morden College in Blackheath. Michael Searles junior learned a lot from his father. They worked together on many building plans around Greenwich. Later, Michael Searles started his own architecture business.
Designing Homes in Blackheath
A landowner named John Cator wanted to build high-quality homes in Blackheath. He gave Searles and a builder named William Dyer permission to design these houses. They wanted to attract wealthy families to live there.
South Row and Montpelier Row
Between 1794 and 1805, Searles designed South Row and Montpelier Row. These homes faced Blackheath. They were built to be very appealing to people looking for nice places to live.
His Masterpiece: The Paragon
Searles's most impressive work was The Paragon. It is a crescent-shaped row of 14 houses next to Blackheath. The Paragon is now considered a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical building that must be protected.
The Paragon has seven blocks of houses. Each block has two houses joined together. They are connected by a covered walkway with columns. There is also a small lodge house at each end.
Customizing the Homes
Searles designed the outside of the houses. He would build the main brick structure. But the inside of each house was different! Buyers could choose how they wanted their home to look inside. This allowed them to fit out the house to their own taste and budget.
A Challenging Project
Building The Paragon was a huge project. It took ten years to finish! The last house was not lived in until 1805. This long building time almost caused Searles to lose all his money.
Other Works by Searles
Besides his own home at 155 Old Kent Road, Michael Searles designed other buildings in London. Here are some of them:
- Deptford Union, 70-82 Blackheath Road (built in 1786)
- 31 Blackheath Road, London SE10
- Marlborough House, 317 Kennington Road, Kennington (around 1787)
- 114-132 Kennington Park Road (built in 1790)
- 23 Champion Hill, Camberwell (built in 1791)
- The southern part of Gloucester Circus crescent in Greenwich (built between 1791 and 1809)
- Surrey Square in Walworth (around 1793)
- A row of houses in Southgate Green, north London
The New Kent Road Paragon
Before 1787, Searles built another Paragon. This one was on the south side of New Kent Road. It had six blocks of houses, also connected by a walkway with columns. Later, more houses were added to make it a full semicircle.
This second Paragon was taken down in the 1890s. Newer, simpler houses were built there. A school was also built, which has since been turned into apartments. These apartments are now called The Paragon, just like Searles's original design.
