Slate House

Cadw's description

Location

On the NE corner of the junction of St Julian's Street and Sergeants Lane.

History

Mid to later C19 commercial premises and accommodation, occupied since late C19 by F B Mason, estate agents, and auctioneers. In 1871 census Upper Slate House was a lodging house and Lower Slate House a private school.

Exterior

Commercial premises and accommodation, two ranges, a 4-storey main part to left and a 2-storey range to right. Main part of white-painted stucco, slate roof with brick end stacks. Three-window range with parapet on small modillions. Horned sash windows: 4-pane on upper floor, plate-glass to 2nd and 1st floors, paired in outer bays. First floor windows in moulded stucco frames. On ground floor, 2 later C19 shop windows with central square-headed doorway. Shop windows have timber surrounds with cornices on elaborate carved brackets, actually the capitals of removed turned columns (see intact left end wall window), and 3 long panes each. C20 half-glazed door with overlight. Left end wall to Sergeants Lane is unpainted and has similar shop-window to right, but of 2 panes and with similar capitals over elaborately turned columns. Cast-iron street name plaque Sergeant's Lane set high to right.
Two-storey section to right, of a single bay only, of painted render, has plain parapet, first floor triple plate-glass sash window and full-width shop front similar capitals to cornice, recessed half-glazed door with overlight to left and 3 panes to right, the inner one canted in.
A rendered 4-storey 3-bay rear wing facing Sergeant's Lane has parapet, 2 2-pane stair windows set lower in right bay over lean-to porch in angle, In left and centre bays: 2 4-pane 3rd floor sashes, 2 12-pane sashes to 2nd floor, a 12-pane and pair of narrow sashes to 1st floor, and a plate glass sash and door to ground floor.
Rear is also rendered, L-plan, with rubble stone 2-storey lean-to in angle with 16-pane sash to first floor over glazed door, and some slate-hanging on E side wall, possibly part of an older structure, incorporated.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial C19 commercial building with good surviving shopfronts.