This article by Stephen Gilburt appeared in The Enfield Society newsletter 190 (Summer 2013).
Illustration 1. Gentleman’s Row has many fine Grade II listed 16th to 19th century houses. The footpath in front of the houses originally formed the boundary of Enfield Chase and the gardens to the west were encroachments on the Chase when this section was cut off by the New River.
Illustration 2. The 18th century brick front of Elm House hides an earlier 17th century house. Now in private occupation, it has been a school, hall and store, and was a convalescent home in the First World War.
Illustration 3. This 18th century house was bought in 1888 by the Enfield Board of Health. It was later a public library and is now the Registry Office. The square bay to the right was added in the 19th century.
Illustration 4. Fortescue Lodge. This late 17th century timber framed stableman’s cottage was provided with an early Georgian façade covered in white stucco. To the left, the 16th century L-shaped timber-framed barn later became a coach house before being converted to a house in 1957.
Illustration 5. The Edwardian exterior of Little Park hides an interior, parts of which date back to Tudor times. The Tudor Room on the right was built to house a fine stone fireplace, panelling and a ceiling rescued from the 16th century Enfield Palace which was demolished in 1927. (See TES News no.186).
Illustration 6. Fortescue Villas were built in the 1840s and were at one time a school and later a children’s home.
Illustration 7. The Grade II* listed Clarendon Cottage was originally a 16th century timber-framed hall house and was extended in the 17th century. At the end of the 17th century it was a girls’ school and in the early 19th century it was a boarding house run by a Mrs Leishmann. Charles and Mary Lamb stayed there in 1825 and 1827 before they moved to live in Chase Side. To the left are the 17th century timber-framed Eastbury and Sedgecope, both with early 18th century red brick fronts.
Illustration 8. There were fewer cars in Gentleman’s Row in 1969. On the left, William Place dates from 1871 while the four cottages in the centre are early 19th century. The bay-fronted Belmont Cottages out of view opposite were built in the 1890s.
Illustration 9. The recently restored Archway House dates from 1750 and was a beer house before the First World War. The archway to the right led to Love’s Row, now called Chapel Street. The mainly 19th century house on the left was at one time the stables for the Archway tavern and later a general shop until the late 1960s.
Illustration 10. The early 19th century Rivulet House originally faced on to the New River.
Illustration 11. The 300 year old farm bothy on the left was replaced in 1970 by a neo-Georgian house. On the right the early 19th century fronted The Haven originally faced on to the New River and the occupants had “dipping rights” enabling them to draw drinking water.
Illustration 12. Brecon House is a mid-18th century three storey gentleman’s residence. It has two single-storey flanking blocks each with a Venetian window.