8 Hope Drive

One of a group of four houses forming a terrace (2-8 Hope Drive), built c1888-89 possibly for Frederick Messom with architect Watson Fothergill. Area previously used for garden allotments known as Fishpond Gardens. In single household use. Three storeys including attic space with projecting wing on front facade and two storey rear wing. Plain red brick facades with little or no ornamentation. Facing bricks on front facade and chimney stacks with commons elsewhere. The character of the red brick terrace has been adversely affected by the unsightly rendering and painting of parts of the facades, particularly at plinth level on the window bays and adjacent to the entrance porch. Corbelled brick splayed corner detail on front wing. Later outside door added to former open recessed porch to main entrance doorway. Stone lintels and sills to window openings and shaped stone lintel over entrance porch. Much of the stonework has now been painted. Gabled slate roof with decorative clay ridge tiles and finial. Lead valleys. Original cast iron rainwater fittings have been replaced. Projecting timber eaves with bargeboards at gables. Corbelled brick chimney stacks on side elevation with buff fireclay louvre pots, now mainly removed. Originally, sash windows generally, now replaced plus numerous alterations and additions to openings. Dormer window and fire escape added at rear. Roof windows added. Small back garden / yard area, with communal passage to provide rear access to each of the houses in the terrace, now partly altered. Original railings on brick and stone plinth to front boundary on Hope Drive now replaced with low brick wall. A small section of the original iron railings including a gate survives at the entrances to 2 and 4 Hope Drive.