70 AND 72, PORTLAND STREET (See details for further address information)

MANCHESTER

SJ8497NW PORTLAND STREET 698-1/32/303 (North West side) Nos.70 AND 72

GV II

Includes: No.20 NICHOLAS STREET. Manufacturers' warehouse, now restaurant, offices, etc. 1873, by Pennington and Bridgen; altered. Sandstone ashlar with some marble dressings (roof not visible). Square plan on corner site, with rounded corner. Eclectic palazzo style with elaborate decoration. Five storeys over basement, 4 bays plus the corner; channelled rustication up to 1st floor, bands between floors, bracketed cornice and blocking course with some antefixae. Round-headed doorway to 3rd bay with run-out voussoirs, mask keystone, divided panelled doors; segmental-headed basement openings, mullioned 2-light ground floor windows; 2-light windows to all upper floors, those at 1st floor with round-headed lights and very elaborate surrounds including marble shafts, panelled aprons, carved spandrels and shallow 2-centred-arched carved canopies; square-headed windows at 2nd and 4th floors, round-headed at 3rd floor, those at 2nd floor with shafts, enriched heads and linked imposts, and those at 3rd floor with linked enriched arched bands over the heads. Single-light windows to the corner, that at 1st floor with a small semi-circular corbelled balcony. Right-hand return to Nicholas Street in matching style. Interior not inspected. Forms group with Nos 74 to 80 to left (q.v.): striking contrast of scale and type illustrating the historical development of this street.

Listing NGR: SJ8419397950