15 and 17 Cheapside

These are wool-stapler’s warehouses dating from the first quarter of the 19th century, later converted into offices and flats. The buildings are constructed of handmade brick with some sandstone walling, and have a slate roof. They comprise a three-storey block facing onto Cheapside, with a rear façade to Carter Street.

The front of the building consists of two separate units, each of four bays. The brickwork is red and laid in an English Garden Wall bond, which creates a decorative pattern of four rows of long bricks alternating with rows of short bricks. All the window and door openings have segmental arches constructed of brick, and stone sills are present beneath the windows. The openings in the left-hand bay of each unit are narrower than the others. Full-height loading bays retain original loading doors with small windows above, and projecting hoist beams. Most of the windows are early 19th-century eight-over-eight sash windows without horns, although the lower left window of the left-hand unit is a replacement that was inserted into what was formerly a doorway. The entrance bay of the right-hand unit features a replacement door within an earlier architrave and overlight. A vertical brick joint indicates the alignment with the taller building at number 19 Cheapside to the right, and there is no clear joint with number 13 to the left.

The rear façade is predominantly of brown brick, also in English Garden Wall bond, with a band of coursed rubble sandstone at the right, between the exposed basement and the ground floor. Timber boarding has been inserted across bays 3 and 4, with stair windows incorporated within it. All openings have replacement sash windows. Vertical mortar joints align with number 19 to the left (which is slightly taller), and number 13 to the right, which is lower. Two external air-conditioning units are located at ground-floor level.

The interior has been largely modernised with offices on the ground and first floors and flats on the top floor. The top floor is reported to retain original structural features, including hewn purlins, king-post roof trusses, and retained hoist gear.

Note: The vertical timber boarding on the rear façade and the external air-conditioning units are excluded from the listing, meaning they do not contribute to the special architectural or historic interest of the building. However, any works that could potentially affect the building’s character may still require listed building consent, as determined by the local planning authority.