51 AND 53, KENT ROAD

A pair of semi-detached villas located on Kent Road, Southsea, built in 1844 and designed by T.E. Owen. Number 51 has been converted into three flats, while Number 53 accommodates offices and a flat. The villas are constructed of stucco, with Welsh slate roofs; the centre of Number 51 is hipped, and Number 53 features a pair of hipped roofs. Number 51 has rendered stacks positioned to the left and right of the centre, with a similar arrangement on Number 53.

The villas are three storeys high, with Number 51 having flanking two-storey sections. Each villa originally had four bays. The central three-storey section of Number 51, and the left section of Number 53, are distinguished by rusticated quoin strips to the ground and first floors, with incised panelled strips to the second floor. The recessed two-storey right section of Number 51 features a four-panelled door (upper panels glazed) within a projecting, rusticated porch with a flat roof, cornice, and broken parapet with inset iron railings. Adjacent to the door is a narrow, fixed casement window. A four-pane sash window is situated to the right; on the first floor are two six-pane sashes, each set under a flat stuccoed arch with incised voussoirs. A moulded band and sillband are also present. A two-storey tripartite canted bay is at the centre of Number 51, extending to both ground and first floors, comprising a central six-pane sash flanked by narrower sashes, topped with a coped parapet. The second floor has a single six-pane sash. The left two-storey section of Number 51 has six-pane sashes on both the ground and first floors, each set under a flat stuccoed arch with incised voussoirs. The recessed right section of Number 53 has a six-panelled door with an overlight, and a twelve-pane sash window on the first floor, topped with a cornice and block parapet. A 20th century extension is located to the right of Number 53, with a sixteen-pane sash window to the first and second floors. The left side of Number 53 exhibits a two-storey bow window with two sixteen-pane sashes on each floor, set under cambered arches, a cornice, and a parapet with iron guard rails for a balcony. The second floor has a 20th century two-leaf casement window that opens onto the balcony. The interior of the villas has not been inspected.