2 Wexham Street

Cadw's description

Location

In a row of cottages fronting the street at the S end of Wexham Street.

History

One of a row of C18 Baron Hill estate cottages, although not necessarily all of the same date, shown on the 1829 town plan as part of a row that included Nos 50 and 48 Church Street. Originally vernacular in character, the cottages were remodelled later in the C19 when sash windows and dormers were added to create a regular façade of Georgian character. Additions were made at the rear in the C20, except for No 4. No 4 was The Duke of Wellington public house from at least 1828 to 1866 and has a C19 rear wing.

Exterior

Belongs to a group of 2-10 Wexham Street.

Five 1½-storey cottages of painted pebble dashed walls, steep slate roof and roughcast stacks reduced in height. Each house has a central doorway, flanking windows and gabled dormer above the doorway (Nos 4 and 6 formerly had raked dormers, as shown in photographs of c1912 and 1937).

No 2 has a replacement half-glazed door and gabled canopy, and renewed 12-pane horizontal-sliding sash windows. No 4 has smooth-rendered surrounds. Its early C20 style half-glazed panel door has leaded lights, and is beneath a slate canopy on brackets. Windows are 4-pane horned sashes in the lower storey, with similar 6-pane window in the dormer. No 6 has a fielded-panel door under a gabled canopy, and renewed 4-pane horizontal sliding sash windows. No 8 is larger than 2-6. It has a modern panel door, with glazed panel, in a rendered surround with canopy on simple brackets. Windows are renewed 12-pane horizontal-sliding sashes, and 2-light small-pane casement in the dormer. No 10, the largest house in the row, has a half-glazed door with fielded panels and Gothic intersecting glazing bars, in a freestone surround with moulded cornice. Windows are 2-light casements. Attached to the L end is a rubble-stone garden wall with boarded door.

In the L gable end No 10 has a small stair light to the R of centre. At the rear, No 10 has a replacement window to the R below a skylight. To the L is a long 1-storey rear pebble-dashed wing with slate roof and C20 detail. No 4 has been raised at the rear and has a gabled 2-storey wing with monopitched projection. The rear of No 2 has also been raised and has an added 1-storey projection.

Interior

On the L side is a fireplace with timber lintel, to the L of which was formerly a stair. A single cross beam is roughly finished.

Reason for designation

Listed as part of a row of C18 vernacular cottages with C19 estate character and detail, and for its contribution to the historical integrity of Church Street and Wexham Street.