186-208 Streatham High Road

Image: © Stephen Richards Taken: Unknown

Like all the Edwardian buildings in this area of the High Road, turrets and decorative gables abound. The section in the foreground dates from 1900, the further section from 1888. The intruder dates from c1970 and makes no concessions to its neighbours. The council report comments that it "creates a dead area along the red brick frontage", but even so the terrace as a whole is within the Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill Conservation Area. The course of Streatham High Road has been a major highway between London and Sussex since Roman times. Its current appearance is largely attributable to two major spells of development. The first was during the late C19th following the opening of Streatham Hill station in 1856, and the second was after 1911 when the line to Victoria was electrified. Though much-maligned and undoubtedly blighted by heavy traffic, closer examination reveals that the road is lined with a number of interesting buildings, some of which reflect the period between the wars when Streatham was a fashionable centre of entertainment. Information from Lambeth Council (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/CE4B5CE1-0387-40ED-B5A9-273A5160C34A.htm ).

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