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Nos. 10 and 12 Newcomen Road

10 & 12 Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PA

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

A pair of model cottages, built in 1847-8. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts in Tudor style for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes'. Some late C20 additions and alterations. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1431333
Date first listed:: 20-Jan-2016
List Entry Name:: Nos. 10 and 12 Newcomen Road
Statutory Address:: 10 & 12 Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PA

User submitted image — Uploaded by Stephen J Davis This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1431333
Date first listed:: 20-Jan-2016
List Entry Name:: Nos. 10 and 12 Newcomen Road
Location Description:: The row of 7 asymmetrical "Prince Consort" New Model Cottages on the South side of Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells
Statutory Address 1:: 10 & 12 Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PA

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: 10 & 12 Newcomen Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PA

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Kent
District:: Tunbridge Wells (District Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ5829540430

Summary

Reasons for Designation

Nos. 10-12 Newcomen Road, a pair of Tudor-style model cottages built between 1847-52, designed by the architect and social reformer Henry Roberts for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes', are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: two storey, semi-detached, Tudor-style cottages for agricultural labourers in Roberts' Design no. 4 which became prototypes for later working class housing elsewhere; * Date: the scheme commenced in 1847 and is now the earliest of Roberts' projects for SICLC to survive; * Rarity of type: only five other commissions by Roberts for SICLC survive, including both flats and houses, and all have been statutorily listed; * Innovation: some cottages were constructed using Roberts' hollow bricks, patented in 1849. The three bedroom agricultural workers' cottages, with four heated rooms and internal WCs, were very advanced for their date and the attention to ventilation, sound construction and sanitation had a strong influence on later public housing; * Group value: a group of semi-detached cottages which between them include 3 of Roberts' designs for SICLC.

History

Nos. 2-28 Newcomen Road are a group of seven semi-detached pairs of Model Cottages designed by the architect and reformer Henry Roberts (1803-1871).

In 1844 Henry Roberts became Honorary Architect and later Vice-President of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes' with the patronage of Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort as President, Lord Ashley as Chairman and Lord Shaftesbury was original founder.

The Society formed a branch in Tunbridge Wells in 1847 and Henry Roberts was commissioned to build a row of model cottages along the south side of Newcomen Road. They are shown on the 1866 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

The seven pairs of model cottages were built to three designs. Nos. 10 and 12 has a similar design to nos.14 and 16 and they are thought to have been erected in 1847-8. This was Roberts' Design no. 4 ''for a pair of labourers cottages adapted to agricultural districts''.

The change in brickwork of the end bays suggests that these were an addition and Roberts' design does not have an additional bay. However the footprint is unchanged since the 1867 Ordnance Survey map.

Details

A pair of model cottages built in 1847-8. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts in Tudor style for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes'. Some late C20 additions and alterations are not of special interest.

MATERIALS: red brick in Flemish bond with vitrified headers, and sandstone dressings. The slate roof has a central brick chimneystack.

PLAN: a symmetrical rectangular plan of one storey and attics, with two windows to each cottage.

EXTERIOR: the projecting central sections have wooden casement windows in sandstone surrounds with hood moulds above, gabled dormers above with moulded barge-boards, and doorcases with four-panelled doors in sandstone surrounds with hood moulds over. The recessed end bays have wooden casement windows with sandstone surrounds and hood moulds over, and attic gabled dormers with moulded barge-boards. The gables to the side elevations also have moulded barge-boards.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

Sources

Books and journals
Professor James Stephen, Curl, The Life and Works of Henry Roberts 1803-1876 Architect, (1983), 80a,80b, 81a, 81b, 134, 140

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.