72-74 Water Lane and boundary walls

72-74 Water Lane and boundary walls

A pair of semi-detached two-storey houses with a long rectangular plan, designed by Thurlow. Number 72 occupies the north half and Number 74 the south half. The structure consists of a series of cross-walls and paired brick piers running the length of the building, which support the first floor and roof. The piers and cross-walls are of buff brick, with a timber first-floor structure above. The pitched roof of Number 72 is of Stonewold slate interlocking concrete tiles; the roof of Number 74 has been re-covered with concrete tiles of similar appearance. Windows are timber-framed and double-glazed, with load-bearing window frames.

Both houses are entered on the east side. They originally had adjacent carports; that to Number 72 has been fully converted to domestic space, whilst that to Number 74 has only been partly converted. The staircase halls are positioned to either side of these spaces. Ground-floor living spaces are largely interconnected, with living rooms at the far ends.

The street-facing east elevation is partly concealed from the road by high garden walls. On both the east and west elevations, deeply overhanging eaves partly conceal the upper band of high-level windows that light the ground floor. The walls are set back, with gable end walls extending forward to the line of the projecting eaves. Below the band of high-level glazing, the walls are punctuated by full-height windows. The roof features Thurlow's trademark inverted dormers of varying widths with glazed side cheeks. The roof projects forward slightly over the entrance to the carport of Number 74, with the entrance to the house to the south. The carport entrance to Number 72 has been filled with a central panel of brick containing a small window and flanked by two full-height windows; the entrance to the house remains in its original position to the north.

On the garden side to the west, the roof has roof-lights, fully glazed over the hall at Number 74. The roof projects over a small extension spanning the junction between the two houses. At Number 72 the west elevation is similar to the east, but at Number 74 it is largely glazed. The south gable end wall has a large circular window at first-floor level, comprised of two semicircular lead-paned fanlights, with a full-height window on the ground floor. The north wall is blank.

Internally, the houses are slightly differently planned. In Number 74, the hall crosses the full width of the house and the living space is arranged on various levels: the living room to the north leads up to a study, down to a TV pit behind the fireplace, and up to the dining area, connecting with the kitchen. To the west of the carport and utility room are a large bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The bedroom partly extends into the extended western section and looks out onto the garden. In Number 72, from north to south are the double-height living area and dining area occupying the full width, followed on the west side by the kitchen and a newly-enclosed space ceiled to create an additional first-floor open balcony space above, now used as a study area. On the east side is the hall and, within the former carport space, a bedroom.

In both houses the first floor is supported by beams carried on the cross-walls and brick piers. It forms a bridge running the full length of the upper central space of Number 74, ending at the north pair of piers in Number 72, where the main bedroom has an open gallery overlooking the living room. The balustrades to either side continue into the north wall with posts rising at intervals to support the roof purlins. The first floor to each house contains three bedrooms and a bathroom concealed under the roof's apex, accessed by a partially glazed internal balcony along the garden side and creating partially double-height spaces beneath. The inverted dormers reach in to meet the first-floor rooms, which are smaller in Number 72 than in Number 74.

Rooms are open to the timber-lined roof, and the timber first-floor structure is exposed. In Number 74 the multi-levelled living room with study and TV pit forms the principal space, arranged around a stone-topped fireplace and addressing the garden. The TV pit and study contain fitted furniture, and the kitchen retains original timber fittings.

The front boundary walls line the drive, with the southern wall curving to join the street in front of Number 74, whilst the western wall screens the front garden of Number 72.