Clergy House

Cadw's description

Location

Set back slightly behind narrow low-walled forecourts, that to no.38 (R) with plain surmounting railings; on the corner with Peake's Lane.

History

Pair of late C18 town houses, now one building. No.38 remains unaltered, whilst no.40 has a storeyed bay window insertion of the late C19/early C20.

Exterior

Pair of late Georgian 3-storey town houses of red/brown brick construction (Flemish bond); continuous hipped slate roof with leaded parapet to the front and with 2 plain, broad chimneys. Each of the 2 units has a main 2-bay elevation with entrance to the R, though no.40, to the L, has a further bay to the far L containing a ground-floor through-passage giving access to the rear. Matching doorcases to entrances, with slender Tuscan columns and dentilated cornices; panelled doors and rectangular fanlights, that to no.38 plain, that to no.40 3-pane. The passage entrance is arched and has a 6-panel door with segmental fanlight above a rectangular pane.

Above the principal entrances are near-flush, 12-pane horned sashes with segmental heads, and the second floor of both units, together with the far L first-floor bay of no.40, have 9-pane sashes with similar heads. The first and second floor windows to the L bay of no.38 are tripartite sashes with central 12-pane sections and outer 4-pane sections; segmental heads, as before. Those to no.40 have been replaced with a 2-storey canted bay with C20 plain glazing.

Adjoining to the rear of no.38 is a lower 2-storey rubble service wing, probably a second-quarter C19 addition. This has an entrance with segmental brick head and boarded door in frame; 4-pane Victorian sash to the upper floor with similar segmental arch.

Interior

Interior features include a central plasterwork ceiling roundel in the first floor front room of no.38.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a pair of late Georgian town houses retaining good original external character, particularly in the retention of doorcases and much original fenestration.

Group value with other listed items in Vale Street; two of a series of fine town houses in this street, historically regarded as the gentry and professional quarter of the town.