Architectural and historic qualities of buildings
By far the most dominant building type in the area is housing, but the architectural forms vary, with terraces, detached and semi-detached properties in evidence. The Railway Hotel at the southern end of the designated area on Berry Brow and the bowling club to the north of the area on Hulmes Road are the most prominent non-residential buildings.
The Railway Hotel, built in 1884 to the designs of Colin Macloud, is a three storey red brick building with buff coloured sandstone dressings, vertical sliding sash windows and covered with a hipped slate covered roof.
Adjacent to it, on its south side and standing next to the railway line, is a two storey residential building constructed entirely in stone. Most likely this would have been a railway property.
On the opposite, north side of the hotel another red brick building with vertically proportioned sliding sash windows and slate covered pitched roof was built in 1901 to the design of E. Ogden.
One of the earliest buildings identified in the area is 'Thornbank', 45/47 Graver Lane, which is dated 1867, although there are other smaller properties in the area that exhibit architectural details origination from the early part of the 19th century.
At the south end of Windsor Road a substantial three storey late Victorian house dominates the cul-de-sac end to the road. Although much altered its original architectural character can be seen in the red brick, the brick, terracotta and natural stone detailing, bracketed eaves, steeply pitched slate covered roof and the remains of a fine stained glass window with a semi-circular head.
Bay windows with slated pitched roof surmounted with metal brattishing and pairs of vertically proportioned sash windows add to the grand architectural concept of the original building.
Five pairs of three storey semi-detached properties are located on the west side of Windsor Road and are probably late 19th century in origin. They too are built in red brick and are characterised by ornate fascia boards, bracketed eaves, dormers and bay windows at ground level, all with vertically proportioned windows. Most of the original boundary walls and gate posts have been altered.
The more prevalent terraced housing in the area dates from 1887, with other terraces being built in 1891,1896, 1898 and 1899.
Many of the properties built in Derbyshire Road were designed by Ashworth & Morris. They were also responsible for other houses in Graver Lane, Ingham Street and Rupert Street. In 1898 and 1899 W. Dennell was responsible for 2-14 Derbyshire Road and 48 Graver Lane.
All the residential properties were set back from the pavement, providing front gardens of varied sizes and mostly set behind a low brick boundary wall, often with impressive stone gateposts.