31 And 33, White Friars

SJ4066SW 595-1/3/454 28/07/55

CHESTER CITY (IM) WHITE FRIARS (South side)

Nos.31 AND 33

II

GV

Pair of small town houses, No.33 now a dental surgery. Probably late C18 on cellars of medieval origin. Brown brick in English garden wall bond; grey slate roof, ridge parallel with front. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys of one bay to each house. Cellar vent, perhaps formerly an opening, under timber lintel to each house; doors of 6 fielded panels with plain overlights in pilastered doorcases with simple friezes and cornices. Window openings have no sills and cambered brick-on-end heads; 2 flush 12-pane sashes to first storey and east window of second storey, the west sash having bars replaced by one bar in the lower leaf; a flush 12-pane casement, east, and a horizontally-sliding sash, west, to the third storey; painted cornice; a chimney in front of ridge and one behind ridge on each gable, the rear east chimney shortened. The rear has a later long single-storey wing to each house. No.31 has a casement of two 6-pane lights to the first and third storeys and a flush 12-pane sash to the second storey. No.33 has a casement of two 2-pane lights to the first and second storeys and a 12-pane horizontally-sliding sash to the third storey. INTERIOR: No.31 could not be inspected but is probably similar to and less altered than No.33. No.33 has a cellar with probably medieval sandstone front, east, west and rear walls and later brick partitions, the floor surface not visible and the ceiling structure replaced; sandstone stair with winders through 180 degrees; 2-panel oak door, covered externally. The first storey has the lower half, as a gate, of a door formerly of 2 fielded panels to the front room; doors of 2 fielded panels to rear rooms and rear wing; 2 beams, probably of oak; oak bressumer to former range recess. The closed-string dogleg stair has covered steps, square and oblong newels, a balustrade of Chinese or Japanese inspiration with diagonal primary and secondary struts and a moulded rail. The second storey has a door of 2 fielded panels to the rear room and some plain beams. The third storey has probably renewed 2-panel doors.

Listing NGR: SJ 40426 66072