Nos. 31-57 Myddelton Square

Nos. 31-57 Myddelton Square form a terrace of 27 houses, some now flats, situated along the east and north sides of Myddelton Square. The square was laid out between 1824 and 1827 by William Chadwell Mylne, the Surveyor to the New River Estate. Development of the north side (Nos. 39-57) commenced in 1824-5, with sections built by James Armsby and Thomas Sowter, John Bringloe, and Richard Chapman, and completed in 1831-2 with No. 39 (Armsby & Sowter). The north-eastern return (Nos. 31-38) was built in stages between 1827-9 and 1829-33. Numbers 43-53 were reconstructed between 1947 and 1948 following their destruction in the Second World War, again for the New River Estate, and likely overseen by Daniel Watney, Eiloart, Inman & Nunn.

The houses are constructed of yellow stock brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with stucco detailing to the ground floor (except for Nos. 39-53) and stucco dressings. The roofs are hidden by parapets, although brick party wall stacks are visible.

The houses follow a side-hall entrance plan, with the exception of Nos. 43-53. They are four storeys high with basements, and each dwelling has two window bays. Portico entrances with one-storey stucco fronts are located on the right-hand return wall of No. 31 (facing Chadwell Street) and the left-hand return wall of No. 57 (facing Mylne Street). Steps lead to irregularly spaced round or elliptical-arched doorways, framed by 1/4 fluted columns (pilasters are used on Nos. 31-32 & 39-42), corniced heads, and fanlights (Nos. 31-32, 36-40, 43-53, and flats 1-30 display patterned fanlights). Original panelled doors remain at Nos. 32, 34, 36-39 and 54-55. The ground floor windows are round and elliptical-arched sashes, some with margin lights, set in stucco recesses with panels below. Upper floors have six-over-six and three-over-three sashes within gauged-brick, flat arches, with some French doors. A stucco sill band runs across the first floor, supporting full-length sashes in arched recesses linked by stucco impost bands, and featuring iron-bracketed cast-iron balconies (missing from Nos. 43-53) with Vitruvian scroll and anthemion patterns to the railings. The brick parapet is plain, with a brick string course and stone coping.

Nos. 43-53 have undergone extensive alterations, including the replacement of doors with windows during the 20th-century reconstruction and renumbering. A plaque indicates that these houses were destroyed by enemy action on 11th January 1941 and rebuilt 1947-1948 by The New River Company. The rear elevation of these dwellings features projecting concrete and brick extensions from 1947-8 and later and is not considered of special interest.

The interiors of the houses have not been inspected, and those of Nos. 43-53 date entirely from the 1947-48 rebuilding. Attached cast-iron railings with urn finials enhance the property.