29,30,31, CHURCH STREET

PRESTON

SD5429SW CHURCH STREET 941-1/12/72 (North side) Nos.29, 30 AND 31

GV II

Two town houses, now 3 shops with workrooms over. Probably mid C18,but much altered in C19 and C20. Brick, Nos.30 and 31 with scored stucco above ground floor, sandstone dressings, slate roof. Double-depth plan with long back extensions. Three storeys, 4+4 windows; No.29 rebuilt (probably in early C20), with shop-front at ground floor and sashed windows above; Nos.30 and 31 have shop-fronts at ground floor, windows at 1st floor sashed without glazing bars but with exposed boxes, and fixed windows at 2nd floor. Chimneys at gable-ends in front of ridge. Right-hand return wall (to Church Row), in English garden wall bond, has a blocked doorway with wooden doorcase including fluted pilasters and dentilled cornice, a very large modern advertisement board at 1st floor, and various C19 sashed windows (including small square 6-pane sash to attic), and a 2-window back extension continued to rear with a doorway and similar windows, and 2 ridge chimney stacks. The principal features of interest are on the upper floors of the INTERIOR: No.29 has the top flights of a fine C18 open-well staircase, with open string, carved brackets, 3 turned balusters per tread, ramped and moulded handrail, and fielded panel dado; Nos.30 and 31 have a former drawing room at 1st floor with fielded panelling (but now partitioned), remains of original staircases, and a pegged collar-truss roof. The item is one of only two 3 examples of C18 domestic interiors known to survive in the town (others are 11 Friargate, q.v., and 27 Church Street, which has only the upper flights of a staircase from which 2 out of every 3 balusters have been removed).

Listing NGR: SD5425229448