37 The Grove, Fairfields

Detached suburban villa, 1901 for Mrs Tate, to the designs of A.K. Tasker and S.M Mould of Newcastle and North Shields. Domestic Revival style with Arts and Crafts influences. Alterations in 1908, 1937 and later 20th century. In 1908 Gosforth Urban District Council approved a plan submitted by Mr WH Lloyd, Northumberland County Accountant, for changes to the villa called Manora - the addition of a bay window and a slight alteration to the rear. In 1937 the then owner, Mr G Harbottle of Rectory Terrace sought permission for a garage, pantry and stores. A new window was inserted above the lead-roofed bay window and two further first floor windows. These were in keeping with the Arts and Crafts character. Inside small bedrooms were created, lit by the new windows and the attic became a playroom. The architects were Cackett, Burns Dick & Mackellar. Red brick to ground floor, rendered first floor and gables. Sandstone and red brick dressings. Red tile roof. Some timber-framing and infill panels. Cast iron rainwater goods to main elevation. Roughly square in plan with main entrance in porch on west side. Rectangular service block to north east corner. Central square stair hall with principal rooms off ground and first floors. Set within its own plot bounded by stone walls. Main gated entrance onto The Grove. All four elevations are different. Series of pitched and hipped roofs. Multiple chimneys of brick with stone heads. Variety of window and gable shapes. Main elevation has two bays of different character. On the left is a double-height bay window. Square on the ground floor with mullion and transom windows fitted with leaded glass. Canted on the first floor with horned sliding sash frames of six panes with a single pane below. A rendered shaped dormer to the attic rises above, with paired six-over-six horned sash windows in a red-brick surround. The right bay has a ground floor canted bay window with horned sliding sash frames. Above is a square timber-framed bay window with rendered infill panels rising to form a dormer window to the attic. First floor and attic windows have upvc frames. Three cast iron drainpipes have ornate heads. The large central brick ridge chimney stack has a stone head. The west elevation comprises a pair of gables. Two storeys plus attic. Decorative barge boards to the apex. Small timber and glazed porch with bracketed and hipped roof. Brick base. Timber door case. Above is a first floor window with a Upvc frame. To the right, corbelled above ground level, is a slightly projecting bay of red brick with a bracketed canopy. Segmental-headed windows to the first (Upvc frame) and attic (triple wooden casements) floors. The rear gable has a shaped gable to the right and a five-sided bow window with a domed lead roof. Fitted with eight pane windows above two light casements. To the right is a narrow fire window with a four-over-four sash window and drip mould over. There is a segmental-headed window on the first floor with a Upvc frame. The gable apex is half timbered. The east elevation comprises a pair of gables. That to the front has a pair of ground floor windows with timber horned sash windows. Segmental-headed window on first floor. Attic window with red tiling to the gable apex. The lower rear gable has a central entrance with a window to the right fitted with a Upvc frame. Windows to the left - one boarded and a pair of timber horned sashes. Above is an oriel window with tiled lower part and tiled gable apex above. The rear elevation has a large central gable with a tiled apex and scattered fenestration. Large eight-light stair window with leaded glass and a doorway. To the left is a projecting bay with a cat-slide roof and a central chimney and to the right is a later flat-rrofed extension. INTERIOR - the porch opens through the original arched main entrance, now fitted with replacement glazed doors and windows, into a large stair hall. The principal rooms have patterned plaster ceilings and some picture rails. Pannelled doors, architraves and skirtings may be modern replacements. Fireplaces are either modern reproductions or reclaimed and inserted. The former morning room has an arch to the bow window and a similar arch to the hearth which is lit by narrow rectangular window. At the north end of the stair hall a wide arch gives access to the service range and staircase. The former scullery has been opened out to form a larger kitchen and its level has been raised. The wide dog leg stair appears modified. There is one original cap to a newel drop. On the first floor there is a large hall with bedrooms off. The marble fireplace in the principal bedroom appears to be original. The attic floor is reached by a narrow dog leg stair and comprises three small rooms each with an original cast-iron fireplace. Four-panelled doors. A rectangular brick garage stands to the north east of the house. Hipped roof of red tile. Modern double doors. Evidence of blocked openings.