Alma House including Railed Forecourt

Cadw's description

Location

In Grosmont village about 50m E of the Church of St Nicholas.

History

Early C19 front with classical detailing. The S wing, which is older and may have C17 origins, has been heightened in the late C20 by the addition of a second storey.

Exterior

Early C19 double-fronted house. Painted render; slate roof with tile ridge, projecting brick end-stacks. Two storey and attic, symmetrical front. External render is incised with lines simulating ashlar. Windows are C19 hornless 12-pane sashes. First floor has three windows; flat skewback lintels with incised voussoirs, stone sills. Ground floor has central entrance doorway with windows each side. C19 stone doorcase with open pediment has tapered pilasters with simply moulded capitals. Windows flank entrance on each side and have segmental arched heads with ornate keyblocks. W elevation faces the churchyard with the gable of the C19 to the left and the S wing to the right. Gable-end is rendered and has centre projecting stack with offsets and brick flue; each side of stack are small square 2+2 pane casements to attic. Rear wing is three storeys: painted rubble walls on ground and first floors, and rendered second storey. Irregular facade with ground-floor 9-pane horned sash (left) and segmental arched doorway with C20 half doors (right), first-floor 16-pane hornless sash, and 9-pane hornless sash on second floor. Inner elevation of rear wing has bracketed C20 bay window to second floor; C20 French doors with canopy roof to first floor leading to balcony over small flat roofed extension; C20 French window to ground floor.

At the front of the house (bordering the main road) is a narrow railed forecourt: railings have urn finials to stanchions and iron gate.

Interior

C19 house is single depth with two rooms on each floor. Staircase opposite entry has plank door with strap hinges, to left and right are living room and parlour with C19 panelled shutters to windows. Attic stair has winders, shaped rail and plain balusters. C19 plank doors with strap hinges to attic rooms. Basement kitchen has reused ceiling beams, one with a deep chamfer and scroll stop, another with a hollow and roll moulding on one side only. Rear wing incorporates former wash-house; roof of two bays with tie beam truss.

Reason for designation

Unspoilt village house with well-designed early C19 facade. Group value with St Nicholas's Church and other listed buildings in the centre of Grosmont.