41, Heath Drive

This is a Garden Suburb house built in 1910 by Sir Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker. It is constructed of pebbledashed red brick with a machine tile roof.

The exterior is a one-story building with a dormer attic. The east-facing elevation features a hipped, single-story, attic section that projects forward and is narrower than the main body of the house, which is set sideways to the street. This projecting portion has two canted bay windows, each with five leaded metal casement windows, two of which open. The bays support the roof. Above is a wide, flat-topped dormer with a frieze of six leaded casements. The main roof is gabled, with a transverse stack rising from the front slope just behind the dormer.

The north elevation contains a half-glazed front door (six panes) with a leaded light to its right, sheltered by a hipped porch hood. Two two-light leaded casement windows are located to the west of the door. The upper floor has five similar windows, grouped 2-1-2, with the central window being taller.

The south elevation's ground floor features a frieze window with a configuration of 1-6-1, the outer elements having dropped sills. Two single-light upper windows are also present.

The rear elevation has a projecting gable with a glazed door having three solid lower panels and a six-paned glazed upper panel, along with a single-light leaded casement to its right. Four similar casements form a frieze to the upper floor. A stack rises from the south roof slope. A recessed section to the right has a plate-glass door flanked by a leaded casement on either side. A flat-topped through-eaves dormer above is fitted with a two-light leaded casement.

Inside, the entrance hall is separated from the study by sliding oak doors, each with an oval glazed panel. All exposed timber is oak, and all timber fittings remain intact. Doors have heavy strap hinges and back plates. A small arched brick fireplace is in the study. The staircase, located ahead of the entrance door, lacks balusters but has a free-standing lower newel and handrail.

The living room occupies the south side of the house, running from the front to the back. The north side of the room is slightly lower, supported by a continuous bressumer resting on two freestanding square posts, one on either side of an inglenook seat. An opposing inglenook seat is located to the west. Between them is an arched brick fireplace. Six of the central lights in the southern frieze window feature pale and mid-green stained glass depicting leaves in an Art Nouveau style, each panel set between exaggerated mullions.

The kitchen retains the original cupboards, east and south of the range recess, with doors fitted with strong strap hinges. The range recess has been converted into a cupboard. A fixed 12-paned window looks west into the scullery. The scullery is tiled throughout.

The first-floor rooms have arched brick fire surrounds. All timber fittings remain intact, including picture rails. The front dormer features two heavy bressumers.

The building is considered a good, complete example of Parker and Unwin's pioneering small cottages, similar to contemporary examples in Hampstead Garden Suburb. The unpainted render contributes to its interest.