York Historic Environment Record

The terraced streets in this area are not in unusual or special in a national context. However, their homogeneity in scale and mass make a powerful contribution to the character of the area and have a strong local value. The housing designs are subtly different as a result of being built in small groups by different builders. Narrower streets have small houses which front on to shallow pavements. There are small yards to the rear accessed via alleyways and occasional corner shop. The arrangement of buildings with a common roof line encloses the streets strongly. The lack of street trees emphasises the dense urban character. Pavements on most streets are grey concrete slab. Together these streets are an excellent example of a Victorian community. Since these streets can be seen from the city walls, their roofscape is particularly important. The regular rhythm of slate roofs, chimneys and dormer windows, is attractive. The overwhelming majority of buildings are late 19th century terraced cottages of nearly identical design. Fairfax Street, Hampden Street, Victor Street and Kyme Street are very similar. The typical house is red brick, two storeys, with decorative door case or moulded brick frame, a sash window on each floor with slightly rounded or flat arch above. The houses are often in pairs, with ‘doors together’. Some terraces are more attractive than others due to decorative details and the extent of historic window and door survival. Unattractive plastic replacements have degraded the character of some streets. Identified as Buildings of Merit in the Historic Core Conservation Area Appraisal.