Built in 1894, Westdene is Wood's first large house. It stands in an elevated position in the Archer Park area of Middleton close to the town centre. It is a rather conventional house constructed of brick with rendering above the ground floor level. A rather incongruous bay, that might have been detatched from a large counrtry house, sits across from a simple rectangular two-storey bay surmounted by a sloping roof.

John Archer believes that the exterior design may reflect the methods and material Wood became familiar with during his time at Mills and Murgatroyd. He adds though that, "In interior design he may have felt more free to experiment.." Archer describes the interior of Westdene as "far more original and attractive than the exterior."

The image below is shown here with the generous permission of Andy Marshall.

This image was generously donated by Ian Jenkins