Building record 1557600000 - Overroads, 2 Grove Road

Overroads was built in 1906 to designs by local architects, Burgess, Holden andWatson. Soon after, in 1909, the author, G K Chesterton (1874-1936) rented the property and moved there with his family from London. Chesterton lived in the house for 13 years. In 1911 Chesterton purchased the plot of land opposite, commissioning W F C Holden to design a Study and Studio at Top Meadow in a similar Arts and Crafts style to Overroads. These would be extended over the following decade into a full house, and Chesterton moved there fully in 1922 remaining until his death in 1936. A garage was added to the north of Overroads post-war. In 2005-2006 the house was significantly altered. A large two-storey, plus basement, northern extension in a complimentary style was added, changing the original L-plan to a T-plan, along with a smaller, single-storey extension to the existing north elevation. The interior was comprehensively refurbished. The post-war garage was demolished and a new, detached, double-garage added to the east of the house. In 2008 the windows were renewed.
The building is in an Arts and Crafts style, of two storeys, T-shaped in plan and built of brick with white-painted rendered gables and pitched clay-tile roofs. There are tall brick chimneys to the ridge and eaves but historic photographs show one of the original chimneys has been lost. Fenestration is replacement timber-framed casements with applied leaded-light detailing in plain square-headed openings of two, three and five light configurations. A gabled entrance bay, set in the interior angle of the original two ranges, has half-timbering and a canted brickwork ground floor with the overhanging upper floor supported on a pair of timber posts. The windows flanking the front door have decorative coloured glass. The current door is a replacement, although retaining the original pattern of glazing.
Assessed in 2020 by Historic England for potential listing but rejected for the following reasons:
Degree of architectural interest: - as an unexceptional example of a relatively late suburban Arts and Crafts style house by an architectural practice with a regional rather than national reputation;
- the original plan form has been altered by an additional range in 2005-2006, and the original character of the house has been further significantly compromised by other alterations and comprehensive internal refurbishment around this time;
- no interior features of particular quality or interest are evident.
Degree of historic interest: - the building is of some historic interest as the home of the famous author G K Chesterton between 1909 and 1922. However, this is not reflected in the physical fabric or design of the building, which he leased, unlike the Grade II listed Top Meadow which Chesterton commissioned himself and developed to his taste. It, therefore, does not meet the criteria for special historical interest.
Group value: - although there is clear group value with Top Meadow, on the other side of Grove Road, this is a lesser consideration in the assessment and does not override the lack of special architectural interest (B1).