Survey Data
Reg No
50930097
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
House
In Use As
Office
Date
1820 - 1840
Coordinates
316668, 233183
Date Recorded
25/09/2015
Date Updated
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Description
Terraced two-bay four-storey over basement former townhouse, built c. 1830, with two-stage return to rear (east). Now in use as offices. M-profiled roof concealed by brick parapet with granite coping. Rendered chimneystacks to south party wall with lipped octagonal-profile clay pots. Parapet gutters with cast-iron downpipe to south end. Brown brick walling laid in Flemish bond, rusticated ashlar granite walling to ground floor with granite plinth course over tooled ashlar limestone walling to basement. Square-headed window openings with brick voussoirs, patent reveals and masonry sills; granite surrounds to basement opening and rusticated granite to ground floor. Largely replacement six-over-six timber sliding sash windows with convex horns, three-over-three to third floor and eight-over-eight to basement. Decorative iron balconettes to first and second floor openings, steel grille to basement. Round-headed door opening with moulded reveals and recessed surround containing panelled frieze with garlands and moulded cornice carried on half-fluted Doric columns over plinth stops, with spoked fanlight and raised-and-field timber panelled door having beaded-muntin and brass furniture. Shared granite entrance platform approached by two granite steps, flanked by iron railings to south with decorative arrow-headed finials on granite plinth, enclosing basement well. Coal-hole cover to pavement. Concrete steps to basement. Street fronted on eastern side of Fitzwilliam Street Upper. Modernised (or replacement) two-storey mews building to rear (east) plot. Segmental-headed carriage-arch to Lad Lane having brick voussoirs, coursed and squared limestone piers with granite coping, abutted by squared limestone rubble wall to north, having a square-headed pedestrian opening with red brick voussoirs.
Appraisal
A fine former townhouse, built by Benjamin Norwood as part a cohesive terrace, Nos. 34-41 (50930099-5 & 156-8). It is distinguished from the other terraces on the street by the rusticated granite treatment across ground floor level. According to Casey (2005) the terrace retains noteworthy interiors, 'Inside, copious ovolo and guilloche ornament, Temple of the Winds columns to the room on the first stair return and Parthenon frieze overdoors.' It retains its traditional form and proportions, mellow brick which contrasts with the granite dressings, well executed ironwork, and a handsome Doric doorcase. The development of Fitzwilliam Street Upper began on the north-end of the western side during the early-nineteenth century. Although largely homogeneous in character and form, the subtle variations between the terraces are indicative of the speculative nature of development.