37-41, ROPERGATE

PONTEFRACT ROPERGATE SE 4521 NW (south-east side) 7/51 Nos 37-41 (odd)

GV II

3 houses, now 2 shops with offices above. Late C18 with mid C19 alterations. Painted brick in Flemish bond, Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys, 5 bays. Ground floor: central segmental archway with ashlar voussoirs and fluted keystone; mid-C19 shop fronts, with plate-glass windows, inverted pilasters with capitals of small volutes, deep friezes, and lead-topped cornices, in 1st and 4th bays; 4-pane sash windows in 2nd bay; blocked doorway with wedge lintel in 5th bay. First floor: central tripartite window, with 4-pane -sash flanked by 2-pane sashes, all under lintel with keyed round arch interrupting wedge lintel, giving Venetian window effect. Second floor: half-size 4-pane sashes. Windows have projecting ashlar sills and voussoired wedge lintels. Shaped kneelers (that to right broken), ashlar coping. Brick stacks at ends and flanking central bay. Rear: C20 rendering and other alterations. On left return of carriageway is an ashlar plaque with early-cl9 lettering 'Smyth Street'. The housing in the street bore a plaque commemorating Pontefract's MP, John Smyth, who was MP 1783-1806, and an advocate of Reform.

Listing NGR: SE4545521724