23-45, BALCOMBE STREET NW1

This is a long terrace of houses located in Balcombe Street, built around 1815-1820 as part of the Portman Estate development. The buildings are constructed of stock brick with a channelled stucco finish to the ground floor, and have concealed slate roofs. The heights and frontages of the houses vary slightly. They are four storeys high, with a basement level. Most houses have a two-window frontage, except for No. 33, which is three windows wide. The doorways are mostly semi-circular arched (Nos. 27, 29 and 35 have square-headed doorways), with panelled doors featuring pilaster jambs that extend upwards to cornice-head details, all topped with fanlights, some of which are patterned. The windows are recessed glazing bar sashes, with semicircular arched windows on the ground floors of Nos. 23 and 25, and flat, gauged arches above the upper floors. A plat band runs across the buildings above the ground floor. The buildings are topped with stone coped parapets. Cast iron balconies, featuring a geometric anthemion pattern, are placed across the first floors. Cast iron area railings with pineapple and tasselled spearhead finials are also present. The group value of these houses rests on their contribution to the architectural character of the area.