Fairlea

Fairlea is a house dating from the 18th century, significantly altered and extended in the 19th century. It is constructed with a basement, two storeys and an attic, and is characterised by a distinctive yellow brick wall finish, mostly painted, with half-timbering and an internal 'Hygeia Rock' cavity fill. The roof is red plaintile with crest tiles, and rendered stacks are arranged in groups of two or three in a diamondwise pattern.

The west elevation runs parallel to the road and includes a timber-framed, gabled cross-wing with 2-light transomed windows; single on the ground floor and paired on the first floor, with the exception of the attic. An ornate, timber-framed, two-storey, three-bay verandah adjoins the north side of the cross-wing’s gable, with glazed infilling to the ground floor and a staircase leading to the centre door. A timber-framed rear wall is present on the first floor. A wide dormer with four lights and two half-lights, featuring a hipped roof facing forward, is also visible.

The south-facing entrance elevation features a central gable with a 3-light ground floor window on the right-hand side, incorporating stained glass above the transom. A flight of steps lead to an entrance arch before a doorway with two half-glazed doors, also with stained glass. A two-light transomed window is above, and a 2-light attic window is in a plain gable. To the west of the gable, a 3-light transomed ground floor window is concealed within a timber lean-to conservatory. A blind wall rises above a gabled wing.

On the north elevation, overlooking the garden, is a two-storey, timber-framed, six-light canted bay window. The ground floor lights have stained glass overlights above transoms. A gable, with decorative timber-framed panelling at its base, crowns the bay window. It is further accentuated by a rectangular oriel bay window featuring arch braced bargeboards with a cusped head and kingpost. To the west, the side return of the two-storey verandah is visible. Set back to the east of the gable is a 2-light window both above and below, accompanied by a gabled dormer with a 2-light window and finial to the apex.

A 1979 inspection revealed contemporary internal features, including a full-height staircase hall and a cantilevered staircase with a closed string, boarded soffit, straight balusters, chamfered newels with finials. Doors have chamfered framing with inset boarded panels. The drawing room has elaborately moulded beams framing removable square wooden boarded panels. Complete Minton tile fireplace surrounds are in good condition throughout the house, as documented in an 1898 sale catalogue, with a separate narrative series to most fireplaces. Stained glass upper lights are found in doors and windows, and tiled floors are present.