Description

800/0/10089 FORTIS GREEN
11-SEP-03 Muswell Hill
The Gables

II
Block of private flats, 1907 by Herbert and William Collins. Arts and Crafts and Jugendstil inspired. Red and grey-brown brick, tile roofs and dressings. EXTERIOR: Symmetrical in seven alternating bays, three storeys. Central and alternating bays in grey-brown brick, set between offset stacks in similar brick, with chequer pattern band of red brick and buff tile at ground floor. Wide elliptical red brick arch to recessed entrance. Pair of tongue and grooved panelled doors with small paned upper lights, under segmental arch, flanked in the offset, by a six-pane fixed light timber window with square leaded lights, under segmental red brick arch. Continuous band of first and second floor timber casements with square leaded lights; arranged 1:3:1, separated by red brick shafts, tile hanging between the storeys, and under deep low eaves. At third floor, fine cast iron balcony in Jugendstil manner. Intervening bays in red brick; a paired gabled bay set forward slightly, flanked by single bays treated similarly. Gabled bay has ground and first floor segmental arched three-light sashes, the upper sash of each small paned. Upper floor small -paned timber casements under segmental relieving arches, those to third bay replaced, and under paired gables between offset brick shaft. Similar two -light windows to flanking bay. Outer bays have half- hipped roof with gablet to return elevation. Facetted gable to two storey canted outer bay, this with segmental headed sash windows, the upper sash with small panes. Inner roofline continues visually to gabled upper storey set against grey-brown brick offset stack and with four-light timber casement with small panes, under segmental brick relieving arch. Third storey corner casement, two lights to each face, set in pebbledash rendered wall. Return elevations each have pair of external grey-brown brick stacks, appearing to pierce the eaves line and bisecting the line of upper storey casements, with one light to the inner flank of the roadside stack; at second floor offset stacks are tile-capped, continuing in red brick to the eaves and as a rectangular shaft above. Lozenge of buff tiles set diagonally at second floor. South- west stack is reduced. Rear angles repeat treatment of upper storey with corner casements set in pebble-dash rendered wall.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
HISTORY: this is a fine example of Edwardian flat design. The architects, W.J. and William Collins, were also responsible for the nearby Birchwood Mansions of 1907, an outstanding example of the type, with which this shares many elements. The Gables stands within an outstanding enclave of Edwardian suburban architecture, fronting Fortis Green and Fortis Green Road.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Gables at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q27087029

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

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)