Derelict Thursday: Former glory

For SarumStroller 's Derelict Thursday challenge.

These houses in King's Road in Reading were, in their day, very grand. I'm not sure exactly when they were built, but they're constructed from the same bath stone as the nearby Royal Berkshire Hospital and from that and their style I'd put them at about 1840. They're built as semi-detached pairs, with some adjacent pairs connected by single-storey links.

One or two have been converted to flats, and the others are offices. What appears to have happened here is that a company that used three of the houses (a pair and another "half") has pulled out, and they haven't been re-let or sold. The buildings still look in reasonable condition (though some windows are boarded, I didn't see any broken glass), but what struck me was how overgrown and wild the front gardens (at the main entrance to the offices) have become.

In good sunlight the bath stone can look wonderfully rich and warm, but I thought the slightly washed out look suited the impression of "faded glory" I get from looking at these empty buildings.