| (Above) The top of Orchard Street in 1916. The older
houses of New Street are lost amongst a mass of later Victorian development.
The New Street houses were erected by 1820 and are a basic square two up
and two down layout. There were no rear projections, cooking and eating
were functions of the same room at the back of the house. Some people did
not like this arrangement and built a little outhouse or scullery on the
back of the house to make the shape more rectangular. Tudor Court is a
classic example of courtyard expansion in the 1830s to meet the demand for
cheap housing, other examples of houses built in the gardens of early
houses can also be seen in New Street.
The later
houses are a mix of commercial and large residential properties. They are characterised by
an elongated rectangular shape, many have developed tunnel backs or rear extensions, and
the increase in property values is often indicated by the lack of open or garden space.
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