12A, 14 and 14A New Street

Pair of houses built in the second half of the C18, then used as offices and later converted into student flats.

MATERIALS: red brick laid in Flemish bond with brick dressings and a roof covering of slate.

PLAN: 12A, 14 and 14A New Street is positioned at the end of a row of terraced buildings facing east onto New Street. It has an approximately U-shaped plan consisting of the recessed main range and splayed side wings, with a rear wing on the north side of number 12A, incorporating the former outbuilding to number 14.

EXTERIOR: the large three-storey building has a double pile plan with an M-shaped roof with tall brick chimney stacks and a moulded brick cornice. The recessed centre is five window bays wide flanked by splayed side wings. Two brick bands run across the façade just above lintel level. The fenestration on the ground and first floors of the recessed range consists of six-over-six pane sash windows set in flush casing with segmental brick arches and painted stone keystones. The second floor is lit by three-over-three pane sashes. The windows in the central bay above the passageway are false. There are two doors at the sides and a central passageway door, all in classical doorcases of simple but varied designs. Only the central doorway retains the Gothic bar tracery. None of the doors are original. The splayed wings have a single window to each floor on the sloped face, mostly pairs of four-over-four pane sashes.

The north return is lit on the right hand side by six-over-six pane sash windows on the ground and first floor. The rear elevation is dominated by a double-height bay window on the left hand side, lit on both floors by large multi-pane windows under brick arches consisting of stretchers.

INTERIOR: the interior has undergone various phases of alteration and remodelling during the building’s conversion into offices and student flats. It retains little historic joinery, fixtures or fittings other than a few ceiling cornices, moulded door frames, a semicircular arch alcove and several fireplaces. One fireplace has a wooden surround and moulded mantelshelf with a plain frieze and corner blocks suggesting the top of pilasters. Another has a wide surround with panelled jambs and a wide mantelshelf supported by consoles, all painted black. The semicircular arch inset is typical of the mid-C19. A simple staircase has a closed string, chamfered square newel posts with flat cap finials, and two slender turned balusters per tread. The cellar is brick-vaulted.