39-41 Friar Lane

These are a pair of early 19th century town houses with 20th century additions, and they were remodelled internally in the early 21st century to create flats. The houses are constructed of red brick in a decorative Flemish bond pattern, with slate roofs. Chimneys have been removed. The buildings are semi-detached and have a roughly U-shaped plan, created by the addition of narrow rear extensions.

The pair of houses is three stories high, above basements, with each house having two bays. Doorways are located in the outer bays, and stacked window openings are present in the inner bays. The doorways have architraves and small rectangular overlights; the one at number 39 has margin glazing. The doorways now feature 21st century four-panel doors. Beside each doorway is a single window opening on each floor, set beneath brick arches. Ground and first floor windows have six-over-six pane sash frames, while the upper floor windows have three-over-six pane frames. A deep, modillioned eaves cornice runs above the upper floor windows.

The gabled ends are rendered and contain small window openings with 21st century woodwork. The rear elevation has stacked windows in the inner bays beneath shallow brick arches, some with glazing bar sashes and others with altered woodwork. The outer bays feature semi-circular headed stair windows; the one at number 39 remains at its original height with radiating glazing bars to the window head. A short, two-story extension with a monopitch roof is located below it. Number 41 has a three-story extension that obscures the lower part of the stair window in the main range.

The interiors have been extensively remodelled to create flats with shared kitchen facilities in the basements. Most original woodwork has been replaced with 21st century fittings, except for the staircases, which feature stick balusters and moulded handrails. Many rooms have been divided, and some of these smaller spaces retain original plasterwork and hearth surrounds.