8 Park Valley

One of a pair of houses c1830, probably by architect P.F. Robinson. Robinson’s services were obtained by the 4th Duke of Newcastle in 1825 and in 1827 he prepared a ‘Plan for Nottingham Park’. Although this plan was never developed, Robinson completed a number of early individual houses in The Park including some on Park Terrace and Park Valley c1829-40. House in single household use. Two storeys plus basement and rock cellar. Stone with part timber framing and stucco. Plain tiled gabled and hipped roofs. Artfully rustic building with asymmetrical plan and prominent decorative bargeboards. Picturesque cottage orné style, popular in late 18c and early 19c. Large side extension by Hedley Price c1904 including two storey canted window bay on garden front adjacent to repositioned main entrance doorway. The extension, which infills space between side of original house and boundary retaining wall, replaced a large glazed fernery. Part glazed and panelled main entrance door on garden front with ashlar surround and Tudor arched head. To left, single storey canted stone window bay plus timber framed gabled storey with decorative bargeboards above. Timber framework infilled with white painted plaster panels and ashlar window surround. Pair of gables at rear of original part of house, each with decorative bargeboards. Coursed rubble stone walls with ashlar door and window surrounds. Decorative timber framing to upper floor of central bay of original house with white painted plaster infill panels. Light wells to basement windows. Gabled plain tile roof to original house plus range of smaller hipped and lean-to roofs with lead gutters to later side extension. Rendered flue shafts to side wall chimney stacks. Flue shafts removed on one stack. Glazing bar casement windows to original house, with some alterations. Mainly plain sash windows to later extension. Coursed rubble stone boundary retaining wall with gated opening adjacent to Park Valley. Part of wall was breached early/mid 20c to build garage. Similar stone boundary wall with gated opening adjacent to Park Steps. Large scale stepped stone and brick retaining walls form northern boundary with General Hospital and former Standard Hill site (now Hart’s Hotel) above.