Mersea House, Elkestone House And Attached Area Balustrades

A semi-detached pair of houses, Mersea House (No. 100) and Elkestone House (No. 102), with attached area balustrades, dating from approximately 1820 to 1850 and restored around 1990. The construction is stucco over brick, with concealed roof, end brick stacks, iron balustrades and balconies. The houses are three storeys high with a basement, featuring six windows on the first floor (three per house), with a two-window range projecting forward centrally. Stucco detailing includes a band above the basement level; fluted Corinthian pilasters extending through the ground and first floors to the ends and central first-floor projection, a cornice, frieze, and dentil- and modillion-cornice over the first floor. The second floor features pilasters with an incised Greek-key design, a frieze, and a dentil cornice. The ground and first floor windows are 6/6 sash windows, with the first-floor windows being taller. The third floor has 3/6 sash windows, as does the basement. A five-columned Corinthian portico with a frieze and dentil- and modillion-cornice leads to a pair of central entrances, accessed by two flights of roll-edged steps, leading to six-panel doors with overlights. The interior was not inspected. Attached to the first floor is a continuous balcony featuring panels of a web design taken from the Carron Company catalogue of 1823/4. The area balustrade incorporates a heart and scroll motif. The facade is a fine example of Neo-Classical architecture, enhanced by the detailed capitals.