21 And 23, Cromford Hill

A pair of houses, likely built in the 1790s, were constructed for Richard Arkwright to provide accommodation for workers in his mills. The houses are built of random rubble, with No. 21 rendered and No. 21 having a reconstituted slab roof while No. 23 has a Welsh slate roof. They originally comprised a single unit with rear service areas. No. 23 includes an integral side lean-to outshut. The houses feature three storeys and side stairs located behind and to one side of the front entrance. The front elevations each have two bays; the entrance bay lacks windows above the ground floor, while the other bay has a window on each floor. Windows in No. 23 retain an early form, with cambered arches. Those in No. 21 have been enlarged. Doorways are topped with large lintels, although these are not visible at No. 21. A moulded stone eaves cornice and plinth are present. Modern top-opening windows and central swivel windows are found in Nos 21 and 23 respectively. The doorways are modern, part-glazed. A central stack is built of red and black brick. A small, roughly coursed rubble wing and a late 20th-century flat-roofed extension are located at the rear. Despite alterations, the houses retain much of their original plan and appearance, contributing significantly to the street scene.