70, Essex Road

70 Essex Road is a house with a shop, first shown on a map from 1746 and refronted in the early 19th century. It is built of stock brick and features an 'M'-shaped tiled roof. The original plan may have included a shop, as there is a side entrance that is now blocked under an arched opening. The current entrance is in a single-storey addition from the 19th century. The house has four storeys and two rooms on each floor, with a large staircase hall at the rear. The main elevation has three bays, with some rebuilding above the third floor and to the parapets. It features mid-19th century sash windows under early 19th century gauged brick heads and a late 20th century shopfront designed in a replica style. The pear elevation shows some patching from bomb damage.

The interior is particularly noteworthy. The staircase rises uninterrupted from the ground floor to the attic and has a closed string with stick balusters, along with newels and a handrail that display characteristic early 18th century mouldings. The outside walls have dado panelling with small panels but no mouldings, while the fully panelled internal wall is similarly undecorated. The ground floor is unpanelled, with any cornices concealed behind a false ceiling. The first floor features early 19th century cornices and shutters in the three-bay front room. The second floor has full dado panelling in the front room, which includes one 18th century cupboard with hooks, and the rear room has some full-height panelling. The third floor contains some panelling and an early 18th century fireplace in the front room, set between cupboards. This building is included as a rare example of an unsophisticated panelled interior.