Listed Building record MDR10418 - 3-9 New Road (consec), Darley Abbey, Derby

Boar's Head Cotton Mill Complex and Associated Housing. Thomas Evans began the mill building programme in 1782, and in order to attract an adequate work force to his new enterprise he created a new village, complete with school and other amenities. The Workers Housing, Darley Abbey. 3-9 New Road are two early nineteenth century blocks of regency style cottages arranged in clusters of four houses, brick with stuccoed street faces and doors set in blank recessed arches. Their elegant appearance is thought to be connected with the fact that they were in the line of vision from Darley House. (1) Nos. 3 to 9 New Road are two blocks of Regency villa style cottages arranged as clusters of four houses built by the Evans family by 1826. They are built from brick with hipped slate roofs, both blocks have stuccoed street facades and doors set in blank recessed arches. The garden elevations to Nos. 3 and 4 retain their planked doors and at the upper floor level the timber windows are ten paned pivoted panels over ten pane fixed and at ground floor fifteen over fifteen pane sash and case. From all sides both blocks have the appearance of a pavilion and the elegance of their design with their stuccoed facades is accounted for by their being in direct line of view from the Evans family's own house -the former Darley House (demolished). These are an interesting variant of the cluster house arrangement pioneered at Darley Abbey and Belper. The 18th and 19th century houses and schoolrooms in Darley Abbey built or acquired by various generations of the Evans family for their workers are of interest as a group to be compared with the Arkwright settlement at Cromford and the Strutt settlements at Belper and Milford. (2)