Description

ALCESTER STREET
1.
5104 Highgate B12
Parkview House
SP 08 NE 7/66
II
2.
1903-4 built as a massive Rowton House hostel on a scale and with a social
purpose as characteristic of the city at this date as is the quality of the
materials and the decorative finish. A vast quadriangular block of bright
red quality brick with 5 storeys basement and attics. One long narrow windowed
elevation articulated by shallow breaks with broad gables and triangular
ribs rising from second floor sill course. The massiveness of the block is
enlivened by good buff terracota dressings and finials, with the feature of
octagonal corner towers slightly stepped at each stage and crowned by copper
sheathed conical roofs. There is decorative terracota work in the gables
and terracota dragons with shields as gargoyles to the top stage of the towers.
The gabled porch is entirely terracota faced with flanking to cupola capped
octagonal turrets. The central finial is surmounted by a finely modelled
figure of a boy bearing what was probably a light fitting on his back whilst
in the spandrels of the door arch are delicately wrought relief panels with
boys of similar type representing industry and rural poverty or farming life.
Tall cast iron railings to area. Commanding hillside site.

Listing NGR: SP0732485648

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26627130

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)