Terraces, villas and walled yards
Linthorpe grew up in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as Middlesbrough prospered. Albert Park, given to the town by Henry Bolckow and opened in 1868, became its green heart, and streets of brick terraces, bay-fronted semis and larger villas filled the land around it. The area was also home to the Linthorpe Art Pottery in the 1880s, and its name is still well known to collectors.
Two kinds of garden turn up again and again. Behind the terraces there are compact, walled back yards, often with a back gate onto an alley and a mix of old concrete, brick and broken flags underfoot. In these spaces a neat patio, a bin store and some planting can turn an untidy yard into a usable outdoor room. Behind the villas and larger semis, gardens are longer and often enclosed by old brick walls, with mature trees, and the patio is one part of a bigger layout.
Old yards tend to hide surprises: buried steps, old drains, coal-house footings and very uneven ground. We lift what is there, find out what lies underneath, and plan the levels from the house and the drains before choosing materials.
Access shapes the plan in Linthorpe more than anywhere else we work. Many terraces have no side passage, so materials and spoil come through a back gate from the alley, or in some cases through the house. We sort this out at the visit so the work runs smoothly.
Choosing materials for older houses
Period brick looks good next to natural stone, which is why Indian sandstone is so popular here. Pale porcelain also works well in a small, shady yard because it reflects light and is easy to keep clean where moss and algae would otherwise build up. If the yard has a level change, a short flight of steps with an edge in the same stone looks far tidier than a slope of mismatched slabs.
Existing brick walls are often part of the character, and many are worth keeping and repairing rather than replacing. Where a new low wall or raised bed is needed, choosing a brick that suits the house makes it look as though it has always been there.
The ground is mostly clay, as in the rest of Middlesbrough, and walled yards can trap water. We build a compacted crushed-stone sub-base, bed each slab on mortar, and lay a fall towards a gully or drain so the yard dries quickly after rain. Levels near the house are kept well below the damp-proof course, which is especially important on older homes with suspended timber floors and air bricks.
The conservation area and the Article 4 Direction
Linthorpe has two conservation areas: Linthorpe, designated in 1975, and Albert Park and Linthorpe Road. In February 2010 Middlesbrough Council added an Article 4 Direction to the Linthorpe Conservation Area, giving it more control over changes to the fronts of houses on listed streets, including parts of The Avenue, Oxford Road, Cambridge Road, Roman Road and Thornfield Road.
In practice, a patio in a back yard or rear garden is usually unaffected. Work at the front, such as paving a front garden or taking down a front wall, is where you need to check with the council first. Trees in a conservation area are also protected, so six weeks' notice is needed before most tree work. We will flag anything that may need a conversation with the council at the site visit.
The cost of a Linthorpe patio depends heavily on access and what we find when the old yard is lifted, as well as the size and the material. We do not publish prices for that reason; our patio prices guide covers the factors, and the quote after our visit is specific to your yard.
Patios in nearby areas
We also lay patios close to Linthorpe:
- Patios in Acklam: Just to the west, with 1930s semis, long back gardens and the Acklam Hall Conservation Area.
- Patios in Marton: A short drive south-east, with family homes, Stewart Park and the Marton Village and The Grove Conservation Area.
See every place we cover on our areas page.
Questions people ask
Do you work in Linthorpe's back yards?
Yes, and they are some of our favourite jobs. We plan access carefully, often through the back gate, and can carry materials through by hand where a skip or machine will not fit.
Our house is in the conservation area. Do we need permission for a back-yard patio?
Usually not. The Article 4 Direction covers changes to the fronts of houses. A ground-level patio at the back is normally fine, but tree work needs notice and front-garden work should be checked first.
Can you keep our old brick walls?
Often, yes. We work up to existing walls without undermining them and can repoint or rebuild short sections where needed.
Is natural stone right for a shady yard?
Sandstone can go green in heavy shade, so porcelain is often the lower-maintenance choice there. We will talk through the trade-offs when we see the yard.
Can you move a drain cover in the yard?
Often a drain cover can be fitted with a recessed tray so the paving runs across it, or the cover can be reset to the new level. Moving a drain is a bigger job, and we will explain the options.
