17, Park Drive

This is a two-storey house dating from 1892, with alterations made in the 20th century. It was designed and built for John Tweedale, a local architect. The house is constructed of red brick with moulded brick dressings, a slate roof, ornate terracotta ridge tiles, and three tall brick chimney stacks.

The street front has an off-centre round-headed moulded brick archway with steps leading up. The inner porch has a segment-headed doorway with a multi-paned door and overlight, and to the right, an oval window with glazing bars. To the left is a broad canted bay window with five plain casement windows, while to the right is an unusual tripartite window with a central rounded head and longer lights. Above, a tripartite casement window is set within the gable, featuring a recessed and cusped moulded brick lintel panel. A central single light window has an ornate projecting cill, with a moulded brick band below. The west elevation has a slightly projecting gabled wing to the left, including a canted bay window and, above, a two-light casement window with a brick corbel-table lintel. The upper gable features similar brick decoration, a moulded brick apex with ashlar kneelers and raised coping. The centre of the west elevation has a segment-headed small lancet window with a two-light casement above. To the right are inserted French windows, with a through eaves dormer window above, featuring two segment-headed lancets under a moulded brick gable with ashlar coping and kneelers.

The interior retains many original features, including most panelled doors and door surrounds, skirting boards and plaster coving. The entrance hall has an internal glazed screen with a moulded frieze and coping. A double arch leads to the staircase, which has a panelled balustrade and polished handrail. The staircase window features two tall windows with stained glass. The drawing room and dining room remain largely unchanged. The dining room contains fine un-painted panelling, a moulded plaster ceiling, and a very fine fireplace.

The house represents an important and well-preserved example of a late-Victorian detached house, designed by its owner, John Tweedale, with exceptionally fine surviving internal decoration.