Nos. 10 and 12 Newcomen Road

Summary

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.

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

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.