16-28, HORTON STREET

Shops and offices built in 1903, located on Horton Street in Halifax. The building is constructed in ashlar, glazed brick and brick, with slate roofs.

The structure is three storeys tall with shop fronts facing north onto Horton Street. The north elevation facing Horton Street (incorporating numbers 16 to 28) is built in ashlar with glazed brick to the ground floor shop fronts. The east elevation has ashlar at the northern end with coursed dressed stone to the remainder, also with glazed brick at ground floor level. The other elevations are constructed in brick.

Numbers 18-22 feature a three-centred arch to a yard behind at the right end, with a recessed door to its left. Further left are three shop windows with wide basket arches, each containing an upper section with small square paned glazing and a recessed off-centre entrance. The first floor of these four bays on the right have shallow oriel windows of four lights with transoms, continuing to the second floor where the windows are four-light without transoms; all have replaced glazing. Above is a raised parapet with rounded gables above the windows each containing a lozenge motif and scrolled coping, with ball finials to either side.

Numbers 24-28 have two shop fronts with semi-circular arched windows (the right-hand example having replaced glazing) and a deeply recessed arched entrance between them. Within the archway are doors to each shop and a central door providing access to offices above. Windows at first-floor are two-light transomed, and at second-floor are two-light positioned above the arched entrance. To either side are shallow pilasters. Flanking the central bay are slightly recessed shallow canted bays with four-light windows at second-floor and four transomed lights at first-floor, all with replaced glazing. Above the second floor windows are round arched panels with tall keystones and a deep modillion cornice. Shaped gables above have flanking ball finials, with a high balustrade over the central bay.

Number 28, at the left of the group, has a canted corner to Union Street with a recessed panel at ground floor and two-light windows at first and second-floor. The glazed brick and ashlar style of 22-28 Horton Street is replicated for a single bay on the Union Street (east) elevation. To the left, the building continues with glazed brick at the base and coursed dressed stone above. There are two bays of windows of various shapes across three storeys, those at ground-floor blocked, with a high balustrade above a dentilled cornice.

To the rear, the elevations are plain brick. Over the arched entrance from Number 16 are two storeys of taking-in doors.

The interiors were not inspected, except for Number 14, the former bakery, which contains no features of note.

This row of buildings was constructed around 1903 according to Halifax Corporation Building Plans, comprising a café, three shops with workroom, a bakery and stores. The buildings are contemporary with Numbers 8 to 12 Horton Street which adjoin them to the west, and replaced earlier buildings as the area shifted from industrial to commercial character. The 1907 Ordnance Survey map shows additional buildings adjoining to the rear which were subsequently demolished during the 20th century.