Dereham Road
Dereham Road At the corner of Dereham
Road and Grapes Hill (diagonally opposite to
Harcourt’s) stood No 2 Dereham Road, a house
of considerable age, modified late in the eighteenth
century by the insertion of sash windows and a canopied
doorway. Its otherwise pleasing appearance, however, was
sadly marred by the presence of two single-storey shops,
which occupied what had no doubt originally been its
front garden. Shortly before the war the house was
reconditioned, the twin dormers being removed, the
ancient pin tiles stripped off and a new and unattractive
covering of white asbestos substituted - much the same as
happened at 158 Oak Street. After the blitz of April
1942, however, only the shop on the right of the
photograph remained more or less intact, and the other
shop and the house were completely cleared away soon
after.Text and photographs Copyright © G.A.F.Plunkett 2004 |