The 107 year-old Council houses

The north end

The south end

These gems of the Tudor Revival style lurk in the little frequented and strangely named High Street, nos. 23 - 30. They tick all the boxes; half-timbering, gabled dormers, mansard roofs, stone-arched doorways, and mullioned windows. The narrow street makes them difficult to photograph and they are always partly obscured by cars.

They are grade II listed the description for which includes a mention of the scattered fenestration and that the individual units are designed to form an irregular and picturesque grouping by simple variations on a common type; only No.27 is really unique, forming a central point of emphasis. The other units are assembled from a limited number of features and finishes.

Between Nos 28 and 29 is a round gable which bears a shield inscribed with the date 1910 and the Corporation's arms. All the cast-iron downpipes are original, one of which can be seen on the right. 

They were designed by local architects Clayton & Black and the ravages of time appear to have left them largely untouched. It would be good to be able to say the same of more modern buildings.

Philip Webb in Hove (2)

A reader has kindly submitted some additional details from the book "Philip Webb" by Sheila Kirk.

In this book she describes the extension as having 2 shallow octagonal vaults each with roof lantern. This corresponds well with what is visible in the Google Earth view in the previous post.












The catalogue section of the book contains the following entry:-

"Ye Racehorse Inne"

No. 212 Elm Grove  occupies the corner with Queen's Park Road with great style and confidence. Built in the early 1880s, yet still largely unaltered, it is also a wonderful showcase of the architectural preoccupations of the time; the tudor-revival chimneys, timber-framing, upper sash window panes patterned with glazing bars; the Arts & Crafts style lettering. It is not listed or in a conservation area.

It has recently been closed as a public house, sold, and is now  undergoing  extensive interior alteration to form one 1 bedroom, one 2 bedroom and one 3 bedroom maisonettes. Among the external alterations the windows will all be replaced with double-glazed black UPVC units and the present front door will be replaced with a window. See BH2012/01177.

A small plot of adjacent land on Queen's Park Road is subject to a planning application BH2012/00280 by C J Planning of Rugby Road, Brighton, for the erection of a 3 bed, 2 storey house. The accompanying design statement includes the comment:-

 "A contemporary design approach is considered to be appropriate here as a distinct contrast with the ordered late 19th century terraces on the other side of Queen's Park Road and the ornate “Tudorbeathan” (sic) features of the pub." 

The term "Tudorbethan" was, in fact, coined by poet and conservationist John Betjamen to describe the 20th century mock-tudor style. This style is widespread in Brighton's suburbs, e.g. Woodland Drive: it somehow does not seem to carry the conviction or panache of its 19th century predecessor.

Rottingdean High Street - then & now

c.1904

2011

It is somewhat surprising when, comparing two scenes separated in time by over 100 years, you have to look quite hard to see the differences.

The main change is the replacement of the old cottage, or it may be 2 cottages, with an extension of the victorian revival-style terrace. There is also now street-lighting, but using antique-style lampposts which look as if they might have been there for 100 years. The pavement on which the lamppost stands has been cut back and, of course, tv aerials are now sprouting from the rooftops.

Architectural fantasia

Red-brick and tile-hung gables of 'holiday Queen Anne' style erupt among Georgian stucco with a back drop provided by 21st century whimsy and 20th century stark modernism. 

The red-brick 'Lanes Hotel' in Marine Parade was built from 1879 onwards by architect Col. Robert Edis imitating the country-house style of his architect friend Norman Shaw. 

The Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital behind was designed 2002-04 by the 'Building Design Partnership' to be in the form of an ark, with a "nautical theme" appropriate to a seaside location. Needless to say it is on much too large a scale for this to be appreciated by the casual street-level observer, let alone the young patients. However,  much care was taken to design the interior to comfort and entertain children, and its curved white corners do harmonise well with the surrounding stucco. 

The earlier 14 storey tower block of the hospital dates from 1970. On the left of the photo, in shadow, is the new Sussex Kidney Unit.

59 North Street

A quirky narrow property amongst all the stucco shows the late victorian influence of the Arts & Craft  and Revivalist styles. The ground floor is now a hairdresser but 50 years ago it was occupied by a gown shop with the owner living upstairs. Something about the roof and guttering seems to make it particularly attractive to plant life. It is only a few years ago that it was completely renovated,  and anti-pigeon spikes added, yet already the roof 'garden' is regenerating.

The raised lettering on the side of no. 62 seems to exemplify the Victorian age; solid, made to last, no flashy paper posters for them. It is also historically interesting, reminding us that once hats were big business and it was money from their manufacture and supply that provided the Wagners' fortune and helped to build Brighton's famous churches.  Harts later merged with Hobbs the mens' outfitters and subsequently they were taken over by Cobleys.

This group of buildings are not listed but lie just within the Old Town Conservation area and so enjoy some  measure of protection.

St.Bartholomew's

A view of this extraordinary church before the station development obscured it; and a view therefore that none of us is likely to see again.

It wasn't supposed to be this tall but the Rev.Arthur Douglas Wagner just ignored the protests of the Town Councillors and went on building.  The height of its nave, 42 metres above the floor ended up 1 metre higher than Westminster Abbey's and the highest of any parish church in the country. It is also, because of its cheap brick construction with minimal ornament, said to be the cheapest church per cubic metre of enclosed space of all time. This does not lessen in the slightest the visual impact on entering. The effect of the immense soaring space counterpointed in the distance by the glittering Italian mosaics and stately baldachino is simply awe-inspiring.

It has been Grade I listed since 1952 and therefore rightly enjoys the same regard and protection as the Royal Pavilion.

Royal Alexandra Hospital Site

Following the rejection of developer Wimpey's plans at a public inquiry the City Council has now embarked on a planning brief for this site: the aim being to assist the developer in preparing future planning applications and to avoid another costly failure.

As a first step the Council has put five possible options out for public consultation. These options range from demolition of all existing buildings, option 1, to the retention & refurbishment of all the old buildings, option 5. The number of residential units provided by these 2 options drop from 138 to 70 respectively.

Apart from option 1 all the other options call for retention of the quirky much-loved main building fronting on to Dyke Road but the whole site is of historical/architectural interest as, since its inception in 1880 it has been continually extended and adapted in the style of its time.

I am particularly fond of the 'Arts & Crafts' style, 1896 nurses home pictured above, with its castellated tower, stone mullions and timbered gable ends. Detached examples of this style are becoming increasingly rare in the City. From the conservation viewpoint Option 5 which retains all the old buildings is to be preferred, with Option 4, which retains the main cluster, including the nurses home, a close second.