77 Nightingale Street

House in terrace at Abercanaid

77 Nightingale Street is a terraced house built between 1852 and 1861, part of an important early group of industrial housing at Abercanaid. The terraces were probably built by the Plymouth Iron Company to house workers at the Abercanaid Pit and Pentrebach Forge. Originally seven terraces were constructed in two layouts: five rows facing east between the river and canal (one in River Row, two facing Nightingale Street, two backing onto it, and two in Canal Row), and three longer rows running north at right angles to the river and canal, known as The Squares, plus a terrace of larger houses backing onto the canal and two detached houses for higher-grade employees. Of these, the seven main terraces survive, though five are listed and much altered since listing in 1975; the rear two in Canal Row remain unlisted. The northern rows and one detached house have been demolished; only Llwynyreos survives.

Though modest in size, these houses were relatively generous for their era, being double-fronted rather than the single-window single-door type seen in earlier housing. However, they were narrow, with roof-spans of only 4 to 5 metres and no rear outshuts, as they had roads or access paths both front and back. The plan was arranged around a centre passageway with a rear staircase. As originally built, the houses were constructed of square rubble stone with close-eaved slate roofs and stone end stacks. They had two-storeys, with two small-paned sash windows on each floor and a centre door, probably with an overlight. Stone voussoirs and sills surrounded the openings on both floors. The rear walls, also of rubble stone, originally had one small door and pantry window below on one side and one small upper window. The facades were slightly offset to accommodate larger kitchen chimneys, with the offset alternated to create mirrored pairs. Gardens in front or behind were accessed across a footpath running down the terrace line. The houses backing onto gardens (Nos 70-81 Nightingale Street) have generally been extended to the rear; others retain their original depth.

No 77 has been significantly altered since listing. All windows and door have been replaced in uPVC with thin stucco surrounds added to the window openings. A rear wing has been added.