Parkview House

ALCESTER STREET 1. 5104 Highgate B12 Parkview House SP 08 NE 7/66 II 2. 1903-4 built as a massive Rowton House hostel on a scale and with a social purpose as characteristic of the city at this date as is the quality of the materials and the decorative finish. A vast quadriangular block of bright red quality brick with 5 storeys basement and attics. One long narrow windowed elevation articulated by shallow breaks with broad gables and triangular ribs rising from second floor sill course. The massiveness of the block is enlivened by good buff terracota dressings and finials, with the feature of octagonal corner towers slightly stepped at each stage and crowned by copper sheathed conical roofs. There is decorative terracota work in the gables and terracota dragons with shields as gargoyles to the top stage of the towers. The gabled porch is entirely terracota faced with flanking to cupola capped octagonal turrets. The central finial is surmounted by a finely modelled figure of a boy bearing what was probably a light fitting on his back whilst in the spandrels of the door arch are delicately wrought relief panels with boys of similar type representing industry and rural poverty or farming life. Tall cast iron railings to area. Commanding hillside site.

Listing NGR: SP0732485648