house

Pair of terraced two-bay three-storey over basement houses, built c.1800, attached at both gables to adjoining buildings in terrace. One now in use as flats. Pitched M-profile roof to no.7, hipped at south end, and pitched roof to no.8, having continuous parapet to front (west) elevation comprising cut granite to no.8 and recent concrete capping to no.7. Dormer window to front and rear of no.8. Rendered chimneystacks. Brown brick walls laid in Flemish bond to front of no.7 having recent red brick to second floor. Cut granite plinth course over rendered walls to basement level. Rendered walls to no.8 and rear of both. Square-headed window openings having cut stone sills. Replacement uPVC windows. Round-arched door openings. Door surround to no.7 having pilasters supporting fluted frieze, timber panelled door and plain fanlight. Cobweb fanlight to no.8. Single granite step to entrance platform of no.7 having recent metal railings. Basement area enclosed from pavement by cut granite plinth wall with recent metal railings.

This pair of houses makes an important contribution to the streetscape. Its proportions and details are shared with neighbouring properties on Nelson Street resulting in a coherent streetscape. Early fabric survives in the door surround to no.7 and fanlight of no.8. Nelson Street was laid out in the late nineteenth century by the Gardiner Estate. It connects two arterial routes leading to Gardiner's ambitious yet unrealised Royal Circus, planned for the north-west end of Eccles Street and Berkeley Road.