58, High Street

718/0/10157 HIGH STREET 29-AUG-01 58

II

Shop premises. 1903. By AE Sawday for TE Butler, Son and Co., chemists. Sandstone ashlar, with slate roof and leading. Steel frame internally. Free classical style with Art Nouveau detailing. 3 storeys. 3-window front to High Street with large projecting corner bay and a 5-window front to Cart's Lane. Wooden mullion and transom or display windows on first floor with sashes with glazing bars on 2nd floor. Columns or pilasters between windows on 2nd floor form arcade interspersed by tall pilasters linking both storeys which have swags of flowers and foliage at the top. Later C20 shopfront to Joseph's, but original shopfront to Amabis. Curved glass display windows, central door with carved frame and over-lights with carved frames above. The corner bay has a prominent dome attic rising above the roof level. The sides are mainly blank but a decorative leaded panel remains featuring a pestle and mortar and inscribed 'estd.1840'. Major features of the High Street front are the two panels of glazed tiling. These large panels depict firstly a medieval alchemist with pestle and mortar and carboys set in an arcade over floral plaques either side a central inscription 'chemists by examination' and secondly a sea scene with a full-rigged sailing vessel etc inscribed 'for headache drink Sea Breeze'. On the side to Cart's Lane another C20 shop front and an iron gate with Art Nouveau details inscribed 'Butlers Goods Entrance'. A well-designed shop premises of the period with much surviving detailing and unusual and elaborate glazed tile decoration.

Listing NGR: SK5853604538