(U H HOUS1 S OF DERBY. 95 



I )erby people, and when first seen lias a somewhat startling effect ; 

 for there is nothing in the house at the front which gives a clue to 

 the existence of the highly picturesque building behind. These 

 buildings, of which sketches are given, are, so far as the writer 

 knows, the best examples of this style in the town ; but there is 

 at Hilton, a village about seven miles away, a very pretty mansion- 

 house — indeed, the best in the neighbourhood; and although 

 not strictly in Derby, yet it is near enough to have a place 

 with those that are, possessing as it does features which they 

 have not ; the arrangement of the wood-work in patterns being 

 unique in this neighbourhood. 



Of 17th century brick houses, there are several portions in 

 Tenant Street, Full Street, Bag Lane, Walker Lane, and S. 

 Peter's Churchyard. The last mentioned is entire and very 

 excellent of its kind ; and, we venture to say, conveys some 

 very excellent suggestions to our modern cottage builders. The 

 mouldings are all of brick, and the effect is much superior to 

 the bald and flimsy structures now so common. It will com- 

 pare favourably with those singular modern monstrosities called 

 by the name of good Queen Anne. There are good reasons 

 for believing that this house was built in the reign of Charles 

 II. We give a sketch of this capital old house, which, we 

 regret to hear, will soon be demolished, and also of that in 

 Walker Lane. 



We conclude these notices with the fine old mansion of the 

 Gisbornes, in the Wardwick. This is the only house of the kind 

 left in Derby, and although it has been altered from its original 

 design, the alteration has been so well done as to have added to 

 its picturesqueness (Plate VIII.). There is over the entrance the 

 date 161 1, carved in stone. 



These remarks have been penned not only to preserve the 

 features of some picturesque " old houses of Derby," but also in 

 the hope that into the business of house-building some more 

 pleasant and agreeable designs may be introduced into those 

 which are built to the street. These might be varied by oriel 

 windows of slight projection in the upper stories, so as to break 

 the monotony of the fronts. We would call attention to a very 



