3-29 The Vale SW3

Row of 14 individually designed terraced houses creating a cohesive streetscape, built circa 1911-1913 by architect F E Williams. These artists' houses are designed in 18th century style and occupy the west side of The Vale.

The houses are constructed of silver-grey bricks with red brick dressings, except No.3 which is red brick with stone quoins. All have red tiled roofs, most with dormers, and all except No.3 feature enriched, tall brick chimney stacks. The majority are three storeys with attics and basements, most having gauged red brick flat arches to flush frame box sashes.

No.3 comprises three sash windows with gauged brick flat arches and a timber doorcase with open pediment on columns with enriched dosserets. The entrance is recessed with a panelled door and fanlight.

Nos 5 and 7 form a symmetrical design with three sash windows each. The central window of each house at piano nobile level features stone keystones and cast-iron balconies. Each entrance is in the outer bay with a moulded doorcase with shallow, console-bracketed hood and enriched lintel; panelled doors with overlights. Coved eaves cornices are present, and each has two hipped dormers.

Nos 9 and 11 form a symmetrical design with recessed central bays of two sash windows each and a slightly projecting semi-basement with cast-iron railing. Single window outer bays flanked by brick pilasters project to the pavement and have timber doorcases with pilasters supporting bracketed hoods with moulded cornices and panelled doors with overlights. At second floor level each has a keyed oeil-de-boeuf with cobweb glazing. The sashes have stone keystones and at first floor level on the recessed bays are separated by vertically set oeil-de-boeuf with cobweb glazing. Between the central windows is an oval stone plaque inscribed "FMW 1912". The massive chimney stacks to front and rear are joined by a brick arch. Williams built these houses for himself.

No.13 has three windows with the central first floor sash featuring a moulded stone surround with broken pediment set with a rectangular keystone and bracketed stone balcony with cast-iron railings. A segmental arched entrance with panelled porch leads to a panelled door and overlight.

No.15 has four sash windows with those at first floor level featuring gauged red brick keystones. A timber doorcase of moulded surround is lugged beneath the pulvinated cornice, with a panelled porch to panelled door. Two pedimented dormers flank a segmental pedimented dormer behind a brick blocking course and band.

Nos 17 and 21 form a symmetrical design with No.19. Both have recessed entrance bays flanking No.19 with segmental-arched entrances featuring gauged brick keystones, panelled doors and fanlights. Each outer bay has a double-height canted bay window with Classical relief roundel to the first floor apron and two sashes above in shallow brick pilastered recesses with gauged brick heads and keystones. No.21 has a 20th century attic storey.

No.19 forms the centre of a symmetrical design with Nos 17 and 21. It has five sash windows with the central window featuring a segmental pedimented moulded stone surround and enriched keystone above a projecting portico with lugged, moulded stone doorcase with enriched lintel to the panelled door. This is surmounted by an urn flambe set in the moulded stone cornice. Returns have segmental-arched sashes set in shallow round-arched recesses. Two pedimented dormers flank a segmental pedimented dormer above a heavy modillion cornice.

No.23 has a canted bay window at first floor level with panelled apron. The entrance to the left features timber pilasters supporting a gauged brick flat arch with keystone and recessed part-glazed door. To the right is a horizontally set four-light casement window. The dormer cornice continues along the mansard roof.

Nos 25 and 29 form a symmetrical design with No.27. Each has a recessed single window entrance bay flanking No.27, with timber doorcase with pilasters supporting a projecting cornice hood and panelled door. Main bays have at first floor level a canted bay window with panelled apron flanked by shallow round-arched niches. A Venetian type ground floor window flanks brick pilasters. The second floor sash is in a shallow brick pilastered recess with gauged brick head and keystone. Behind the blocking course is a tiled gable end with sash window.

No.27 forms the centre of a symmetrical design with Nos 25 and 29. A jettied two-storey wing projects towards the street, with brick ground floor featuring a four-light, horizontally set, casement window supporting a timber-framed and weatherboarded upper storey with a large Venetian window set in the gable end of a tiled roof with upswept eaves. An entrance portico on the right hand return features a pilastered timber doorcase and panelled door. The left hand return has a similar window to the front. First floor returns each have five rectangular windows in flat frames with cornices. The recessed main building has three-light casements to either side of the wing and a large chimney breast with slab stack behind, flanked by hipped dormers.