Bay House, including forecourt railings and gate

Location

Set back from the road near the SW end of the street.

History

One of a pair of houses built by the Baron Hill estate in the late C19 on the site of the former public baths, and shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey and 1892 estate plan.

Exterior

Belongs to a group of 47-49 Castle Street.

A reflected pair of 2-bay houses of 2 storeys with attics and basement, of rendered front, with channelled rustication in the lower storey, and mansard slate roofs on a moulded eaves cornice with 2 stacks on each end. Entrances are to the inner bays and have panelled doors with plain overlights, under canopies on deep corbels. Outer bays have 4-pane sash windows under keyed heads. First-floor windows have a sill band and architraves, which have consoles to stilted and moulded segmental heads with keystones, and 4-pane sashes. The attic, also with a sill band, has gabled half dormers in the outer bays with 4-pane sashes in architraves similar to the first floor windows. The basements have segmental-headed windows. The front retains original cast iron rainwater goods. No 47 also retains original forecourt railings, with spear finials, on a dwarf wall, and iron gate. No 49 has replacement railings.

In the gable ends the pebble-dashed walls are recessed between the stacks.

Interior

Not inspected.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as one of a pair of late C19 town houses of definite quality and character, and for its contribution to the historical integrity of Castle Street.