Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A pair of model cottages built in 1850-2. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts in Tudor style for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes'. Some C20 alterations and a rear extension to no. 28. Grade II listed on 20/01/2016.

Monument Types

• MODEL DWELLING (Post Medieval - 1850 AD to 1852 AD)

Full description

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From Historic England's National Heritage List of England (NHLE):

"Summary of Building

A pair of model cottages built in 1850-2. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts in Tudor style for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes'. Some C20 alterations and a rear extension to no. 28.

Reasons for Designation

Nos. 26-28 Newcomen Road, a pair of Tudor-style model cottages built between 1847-52, designed by the architect and social reformer Henry Roberts for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes', are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: two storey, semi-detached, Tudor-style cottages for agricultural labourers in Roberts' Design no. 3 which became prototypes for later working class housing elsewhere; * Date: the scheme commenced in 1847 and is now the earliest of Roberts' projects for SICLC to survive; * Rarity of type: only five other commissions by Roberts for SICLC survive, including both flats and houses, and all have been statutorily listed; * Innovation: some cottages were constructed using Roberts' hollow bricks, patented in 1849. The three bedroom agricultural workers' cottages, with four heated rooms and internal WCs, were very advanced for their date and the attention to ventilation, sound construction and sanitation had a strong influence on later public housing; * Group value: a group of semi-detached cottages which between them include 3 of Roberts' designs for SICLC.

History

Nos. 2-28 Newcomen Road are a group of seven semi-detached pairs of Model Cottages designed by the architect and reformer Henry Roberts (1803-1871).

In 1844 Henry Roberts became Honorary Architect and later Vice-President of 'The Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes' with the patronage of Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort as President, Lord Ashley as Chairman and Lord Shaftesbury as original founder.

The Society formed a branch in Tunbridge Wells in 1847 and Henry Roberts was commissioned to build a row of model cottages along the south side of Newcomen Road. They are shown on the 1866 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

The seven pairs of model cottages were built to three designs. Nos. 26-28 were built as a symmetrical pair similar to nos. 18-20. The design was Roberts' Design no. 3 ''for a pair of labourers cottages adapted to agricultural districts''.

Additions were made at the front and rear of no. 28 in the C20.

Details

A pair of model cottages built in 1850-2. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts in Tudor style for the Tunbridge Wells Branch of 'The Society for Iimproving the Condition of the Labouring Classes'. Some C20 alterations and the rear extension to no. 28 are not of special interest.

MATERIALS: of red brick in Flemish bond with vitrified headers, sandstone dressings (now painted), and a slate roof with a central clustered red brick chimneystack.

PLAN: a symmetrical T-shaped plan of one storey and attics with projecting front gables. This plan by Roberts is reproduced on page 134 of James Stephen Curl's 'The Life and Works of Henry Roberts 1803-1876 Architect' showing a front living room, side lobby with staircase, rear scullery with copper, pantry, WC and fuel storage on the ground floor, and three bedrooms to each cottage above.

EXTERIOR: there are two central full-height gables with wooden barge-boards. No. 26 has a three-light ground floor casement window with hood moulding and a two-light casement above. No. 28 has a projecting C20 conservatory* to the ground floor and a larger two-light casement with hood moulding above, probably the original ground floor window reused. The doorcases are set back and have hood mouldings. The side elevations also have gables with a casement window on each floor. The side elevation of no. 28 has been rendered. The rear elevation has a central gabled dormer. No. 28 has a penticed C20 rear extension*.

*Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

INTERIOR: not inspected." (1)

Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading