There are 15 houses in this rank that was started, so say, in 1809. The war with the French came along and this sort of interrupted things so the
last few houses were, so I am told, built in the mid 1830’s. However, 13 of the 15 houses are covered with natural slate, or at least they were seemingly covered with natural slate when they were originally built and although I was not on a roof covered with slate, I have been in the past and they are very large slates. I do not think slate come from Wales until after the advent of steam in about 1845, so there’s already a little conundrum about the actual age of the property. Conundrums aside this house and its neighbour had brick built vaulted roofs. They were not barrel vaulted as can be seen in some cellars, mainly in mediaeval property and the crypts of some churches, but here a shallow arch formed with brick and no doubt originally covered with tar. Today it is covered with mineral felt and a reflective paint, but like the others it is set behind a parapet wall, so it cannot be seen. The property what I saw was in need of total, and here I am talking TOTAL renovation so that not only will the property become an example of excellence it will be in a rank of houses of similar excellence ...   more »