79, The Drive

This is a house built between 1888 and 1890 in the Queen Anne Revival style. The architect was H.B. Measures, and William Willett was the builder. It is constructed from red brick with terracotta detailing, applied timber framing, and tile hanging to the bargeboarded gable ends. The roof is hipped, with a hipped dormer over the entrance oriel; a tall polygonal brick stack with a moulded cap rises from the eaves in the centre, and simpler stacks are situated on the returns. The plan is single-fronted, with a 1:1 bay configuration. The house has three storeys plus an attic. The windows are a mix of styles, including sash windows with many panes and chamfered mullions. Dormer windows are present in the centre of the roof, as are windows in the tall gable end on the right. A second-floor window on the right side provides access to a balcony with a balustrade above a two-storey canted bay. The left gable end is half-hipped, with two small sash windows. An oriel with sidelights is situated on the first floor. The recessed porch has rectangular, unglazed openings. The front door has been renewed. According to the 1898 street directory for Hove, the property was initially the Willett Estate Office.