Helen Park

Detached T-plan three-bay two-storey over basement house, built c. 1800, having slightly-projecting pedimented breakfront, single-bay three-storey return to rear with two-bay single-storey lean-to to west and two-bay two-storey extension to east. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystacks. Slate roof to lean-to and half-hipped roof to return and to extension. Roughcast rendered walls. Timber spoked half-moon window to pediment. Square-headed openings elsewhere to façade with six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows, tripartite to ground floor, all with limestone sills. Replacement uPVC windows to other elevations. Entrance comprises round-headed opening with ornate cobweb fanlight and timber panelled double doors with rendered surrounds and flight of cut limestone steps. Walled garden to rear with coursed rubble sandstone and limestone masonry walls. Carriage arch with roughly dressed sandstone and limestone voussoirs to walled garden, now blocked up. Square-profile rubble sandstone and limestone masonry piers with double leaf cast-iron gates leading to yard. Painted lined-and-ruled rendered piers with ornate caps with double leaf cast-iron gates having sweeping walls terminating in second pair of piers.

This handsome, imposing house, prominently sited on a steep hill retains its original form and structure. The regular proportions and symmetrical bays are typical of the Georgian style. The vertical thrust of this house is emphasised by the subtly diminishing windows and the central pedimented breakfront. The ornamentation of the house is focused on the tripartite windows and the elegant fanlight to the entrance. The skilfully carved limestone steps further accentuate the doorway and serve as a reminder of the high quality craftsmanship available at the time of construction. The site retains its solidly constructed walled garden to rear which adds valuable context to the setting.