21, Upper Dicconson Street

End-of-terrace town house, 1877, in Wigan. Built in brown brick laid in English garden wall bond with a slate roof and slated canopy over the ground floor. The building follows a double-depth single-fronted plan with a back extension and is constructed on a cellared foundation throughout. The architectural style is simple eclectic.

EXTERIOR

The house has 2 storeys and an attic. The fenestration is arranged as 1:2 windows, forming half of a reflected pair. The ground floor contains a round-headed doorway positioned to the left, coupled with that of the adjoining No.23, with moulded stone imposts enriched with sawtooth detail, a dentilled lintel, a panelled keystone, and a wide door with 6 bolection-moulded panels. A canted bay window with sawtooth enrichment to the lintels sits beside the doorway. A continuous monopitched slate canopy runs across the ground floor of both this house and No.23. The first floor features a round-headed window above the doorway and a pair of segmental-headed windows to the right, all set in raised brick surrounds with moulded imposts and panelled keystones. These windows are linked by a sillband that extends across No.23. All windows are sashed without glazing bars. The eaves overshoot with pendent wooden ornament, and there is a gable chimney.

INTERIOR

The interior contains an unusually complete survival of original features and fittings. The internal porch has square-panelled dado and embossed wallcovering with sunflower motif, along with a stained and painted glazed screen featuring roundels of birds and flowers and a border of yellow leaves and flowers. The hall displays "Aesthetic Movement" embossed dado including fishes, lilies and butterflies, with an upper border of birds and a cornice enriched with egg-and-dart and modillion ornament. The front parlour has an Adam-style moulded plaster frieze, a panelled ceiling, a column to the right of the window apparently for air-conditioning, and a fireplace with a heavy grey marble surround and a decorated grate hood. The parlour door is panelled with embossed decoration on its inner side. The dining room has embossed rectangular panel dado, a marble fireplace now painted, with a copper hood to the grate, and a door matching that of the parlour. The staircase continues the dado from the hall and features cast-iron balusters extending along the landing and up to the attic. A full-width first-floor drawing room contains an arched white marble fireplace, as does the middle bedroom. The bathroom retains wooden panelled dado, though part is missing. There are 2 rooms in the attic. The cellar comprises a complete suite of 5 rooms with ducting that appears related to an air-conditioning system.

HISTORY

The house was occupied from 1877 to 1884 by W.H. Lever, who later became Viscount Leverhulme and founder of a soap-manufacturing empire. He was establishing his business in Wigan during his residence here. The interior decoration and fittings represent early evidence of Lord and Lady Leverhulme's artistic interests and the earliest origins of the Lady Lever Collection.