Nos 4-44 with Railed Areas

This is a terrace of 22 houses with railed areas, built between 1826 and 1836. The terrace forms the western side of what was once Spencer Square, created after 1820 following redevelopment of a cavalry barracks by James Townley. The terrace’s architecture is unified in style, constructed of stock brick with some rendered sections, and topped with a slate roof. It has three storeys, an attic, and a basement, with areas to the front.

The design features a rusticated base and string courses marking the first and second floors. The ends of the terrace slightly project and are emphasised by blocks of three house units each, adorned with Ionic pilasters. A projecting and pedimented central section accommodates four house units, supported by pilaster strips that lead up to the cornice and roof. Dormers and stacks are arranged along the entire length of the roof.

Each house has two glazing bar sash windows on the second floor – though some have been replaced – all with gauged arches. The first floor features two margin light French doors with rectangular traceried fanlights, unified by a continuous line of tented verandahs supported on iron brackets, with trellised piers and simple iron railings. Ground floor bows contain three glazing bar or replacement sashes separated by Ionic pilasters, flanked by panelled doors with semi-circular fanlights. Steps lead to the front doors, with the number of steps decreasing as the terrace rises uphill to the right. Basement windows are margin light sashes and include half-glazed doors. Spearhead railings delineate the steps and basement areas.

The left-end house has no door to the left of the bow, with access provided from the side return: this three-storey section has a rusticated base, Ionic pilaster quoins supporting the cornice, and a gabled roof. Regular fenestration of three glazing bar sashes is present on the first and second floors, along with two windows with keyed heads on the ground floor. A panelled door with a semi-circular fanlight sits within a keyed and moulded surround.

A two-storey and basement extension has been added to the left, featuring a cornice. A single-storey extension is also present on the left, and this entire return block, known as No. 7 St Augustine’s Road, is not separately listed. There is no architectural counterpart to this return on the right-hand side of the terrace.

The artist Vincent van Gogh lived and taught French at No. 6 from April to June 1876; a blue plaque marks this fact.