20 Canal Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two and half storey (+ attic), two bay, urban vernacular house on west side of Canal Street. Left of a terrace of four similar buildings.

Steeply pitched natural slate roof with broad shared rendered chimney over party wall on right. Cast iron skylight to front pitch and semicircular metal rainwater goods, with down pipe to left.

Left bay of front elevation is narrow. Wall is painted lined render with corbel eaves course. Front door is to ground floor centre, with a window to its right, inset into a recessed wall panel apparently forming a shop with window and door combined. Door is three panelled painted timber with an oval glazed top pane (1930’s style) and window is a two paned casement with transom over (cill formed by wall inset.

At ground floor left is a pair of t+g sheeted coach-way doors (with wicket gate) set within a large rectangular opening. There are two windows to first floor; each centred on bay below. Both are two paned casements with transoms over (as ground floor but taller), with painted granite cills. Left (no.18) and right (no.22) gables form party walls with adjacent properties.

West (rear) elevation is abutted at ground floor left by a lean-to timber and glass extension, which continues along yard wall to left. Remaining wall above is painted and rendered. To ground right bay coach-arch is semicircular headed with roughly dressed jambs and voussoirs, wall above it is painted random rubble.

Centred to each bay at first floor is a 1/1 sliding sash window. Very small rear yard is enclosed by painted random rubble walls, but is only width of left bay. Coach-arch leads into yard of adjacent property (no.18).

Historical information

The Matthew Wren map of 1761 shows buildings in this location. If this is the same building it has been completely gutted sometime in the mid-late 19th C because the roof and timbering is of that date. Although its steep roof pitch, simple plan and corner chimney breasts suggest an early date.

Shown in 1835 map, and described as a thatched building 20ft x 24ft6in x 15ft6in in 1838 valuation. Dimension broadly similar in 1863 valuation. The existing building is undoubtedly that described in these valuations. Precisely when the thatch was replaced with slates is uncertain; the roof framing was replaced in sawn timber, but retained its original pitch.

Sources:

1. PRONI – VAL 1D/3/8E (1835 map);
2. PRONI – VAL 1B/246C, p.55 (1838 valuation);
3. PRONI – VAL 2B/2/39B, p.33 (1863 valuation).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

One of an interesting group of urban vernacular dwellings, possibly dating from the 18th century. The record of their originally thatched roofs is of note.