Former Post Office And Attached Railings

This is a former post office, now offices, dating from around 1890, with a rear addition constructed in 1909. The building is built of red brick with ashlar dressings, and has slate roofs with two gable and one ridge brick stack, featuring prominent stone coping.

The main block has a first-floor sillband, a dentilled cornice and blocking course, and coped gables. It is arranged over two storeys with a seven-window front. The central section is flanked by brick pilasters topped with urns, and it features a pedimented gable above a paired eight-pane sash window. To either side of the central section are two similar windows, the right-hand one having been partly reglazed. The arcaded ground floor has five moulded round arches, with a central tripartite window flanked by two paired eight-pane sashes. Blocked posting boxes are located beneath the central window, flanked by elaborate cast-iron area railing. Projecting bays at each end feature angle pilasters to the first floor, carried up through a moulded cornice and topped with ball finials. Coped gables also have ball finials. A two-light cross-mullioned window with a brick mullion and stone transom, featuring two eight-pane sashes, is set into the first floor. Below this window is a pilastered doorcase with a moulded cornice on brackets, containing fielded panelled double doors; the door to the right has an overlight. Above the doors is a pedimented panel bearing the VR monogram and a crown within the pediment. A two-storey addition is situated to the left, with a single window. A projected central section of this addition incorporates angle pilasters and dentilled cornices to each floor. It features a three-light mullioned window with eight-pane sashes, and below it, a similar cross-mullioned window. To the right is a single-storey addition with angle pilasters, ball finials and a coped gable with a ball finial, containing a single three-light cross-mullioned window with eight-pane sashes.

The rear addition, overlooking Pond Street, is in a simpler version of the same style, arranged over two storeys with a seven-window front. It has two gabled and two side wall coped brick stacks. The central bay has flanking pilasters and a pediment containing a round-arched opening with a double sash window. Single tripartite sash windows are present on each floor, the lower ones being larger. On either side, there are two double sash windows, with the lower ones being larger. Barred cellar openings are visible at the foot of each bay. Projecting end bays have coped parapets and pedestals with ball finials, and incorporate a double sash window on each floor. The left bay has a smaller sash window to the ground floor, below which is a corniced doorway. Beyond this, a gabled two-storey block features a coped gable containing a round window, flanked by single sashes. Below are two double board doors with louvred panels. The interior of the building has not been inspected.