Comarques, Thorpe-le-Soken

Captain Comarque was a French Huguenot refugee who, along a number of others, settled in Thorpe-le-Soken in the early 18th century. Historic England confirms that he was resident in the area in 1717 but that he did not build the house.[1] Pevsner notes the attribution to Sir Robert Taylor, an architect who worked mainly in London and the South-East of England.[2] The building carries a brick datestone for 1755, with the name W. Whatey, who was probably the main building contractor for the house.[1] Local tradition suggests that the house was the childhood home of Clement Attlee, later prime minister, having been bought by his father, Henry, in the late 19th century, and this tradition is repeated in some sources.[3] Clement Attlee's most recent biographer, John Bew, records Henry Attlee as buying the estate in 1898.[4] However, Historic England notes that Attlee's official biographer, Kenneth Harris, did not support the claim and suggests that Henry Attlee, a solicitor, was involved in the sale of the estate rather than its purchase.[lower-alpha 1][1]

In 1913, Comarques was bought by Arnold Bennett, then one of England's most successful novelists, from his considerable literary earnings.[7] Soon after the purchase, Bennett wrote to an American correspondent; "we now possess an early Queen Anne house near the Essex coast and in February are going to install ourselves there definitely for everlasting".[8] During his tenure, which lasted until his separation from his wife in 1921,[9] Bennett amassed a considerable art collection, which was displayed at the house.[lower-alpha 2][10]

The estate was later owned by Albert Fairfax, 12th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.[11] In 2010 the house was on the market.[12][13]

The house is of two storeys, with attics, in Flemish-bond red brick. One brick carries the date 1755. The style is Queen Anne. There are extensions from the 19th and 20th centuries.[1] The house has seven bays and Pevsner notes the distinctive window style, which has been called Chinese Chippendale,[13] and which is the main grounds for the attribution to Taylor.[2] Comarques is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

• Bettley, James; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2007). Essex. The Buildings of England. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-11614-4. OCLC 1042848015.
• Bew, John (2017). Citizen Clem: A Biography of Attlee. London: Riverrun. ISBN 978-1-780-87992-5.
• Drabble, Margaret (2012) [1974]. Arnold Bennett: A Biography. New York, US: Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-28746-8.
• Jenkins, Roy (1948). Mr. Attlee: an interim biography. London: Melbourne. OCLC 1141185790.