Water Meadows

Water Meadows is a house dating from 1922-23, designed by C E Elcock for Mr & Mrs W H Sessions. It is constructed of whitewashed and pebbledashed brick with a tile string course, and has a pantile Mansard roof with brick stacks. A painted tile lintel band runs across the facade. All windows are metal frame casements with square leaded glazing. The house has a single storey plus attic.

The front elevation, featuring four windows, has a right-of-centre gabled bay with a four-centred pointed head. Within this bay is a front door to the left of two four-pane single lights. The front door is vertically panelled, nail-studded with a glazed insert, and has a flat arched head. Above the door is a staircase window comprising three tall arched lights, stepped at the bottom. To the left of the centre bay is a canted window of five eight-pane lights, and the left outer bay contains a window of two four-pane lights, while the right outer bay includes one of three six-pane lights. Two flat-topped dormer windows are set into the attic gable; one has a single six-pane light and the other has three six-pane lights. Stones at the base of the front door are inscribed “EMK & WHS” and “1922-23” respectively.

The garden front, also with four windows, features a double French door with flanking side lights in a recessed porch. Above is a cantilevered timber balcony in front of a wide segment arched opening, which also has double French doors and flanking side lights, all beneath a projecting hipped gable. To the left of the loggia, the ground floor has two windows—one of three six-pane lights and one of four similar lights—and a window to the right of three eight-pane lights. Three-light dormer windows flank the central gable. The left return elevation has five eight-pane lights arranged 1:3:1, and the attic has six six-pane lights arranged 1:4:1.

The interior retains many original built-in fixtures and fittings. These include a panelled open well staircase with square newels and a moulded ramped handrail swept at the bottom of the rounded curtail steps. A left-hand room is lined with built-in, glass-fronted bookshelves, and has a timber fire surround with a grate, tiles, moulded shelf, and a lozenge-shaped overmantel mirror. A large reception room at the rear has an inglenook fireplace with a tile surround and moulded shelf, flanked by a panelled screen pierced by a circular opening, with round-arched alcoves containing shelves and panelled bench seats either side. Service rooms have built-in dressers and shelving, with tiered hatch doors aligned behind the dresser, leading to the large reception room. On the first floor is a fitted linen cupboard on the top flight of stairs. The entrance lobby, hall, staircase, landing, and all rooms except the service rooms are fitted with plain panelling. Most rooms retain original radiators, and most bedrooms have original wash basins. Original light switches, door and window furniture, built-in cupboards with hooks, and hall coat hooks are also extant throughout the house.