19, Castle Gate

This is a substantial town house, now offices, built in 1775 for William Stanford. It was later converted for office use in 1928. The building is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings, and has a panelled coped parapet concealing the roof.

The front elevation features a plinth, quoins, a frieze, and a modillion cornice. A first-floor pseudo-parapet extends under the windows. The symmetrical front has a slightly projecting central bay and a five-window range. The ground floor windows are glazing bar sashes with panelled, splayed lintels and double keystones. The central tripartite window has Ionic pilasters and an elaborate fanlight, flanked by two twelve-pane sashes. Above, there are four nine-pane sashes. A particularly elaborate tripartite doorway has double columns, an enriched frieze, and a pediment, leading to a double door and fanlight. The right return has near-symmetrical fenestration with a central, pedimented wooden doorcase, a fielded six-panel door, and a fanlight.

The rear elevation is ashlar, with a plinth, bands to each floor, a cornice, and a blocking course. It has a central half-round bay window, and a five-window range of glazing bar sashes with moulded architraves. The central first-floor window has a pseudo-balustrade and volutes.

The interior retains much of its original decoration and joinery, including a cantilevered dogleg staircase with stick balusters and a ramped handrail, a round-arched landing with a modillion cornice, and an open-well service stair with stick balusters. The ground floor has a central hallway with a frieze and cornice, and a span beam supported on fluted Egyptian columns. A room to the left features an enriched frieze and cornice, ornate doorcases, and an inlaid marble fireplace with portraits and figure panels. The room to the right has similar decoration and a wooden fireplace. A drawing room at the rear contains a painted ashlar fireplace. The first-floor rooms have simpler, though consistent, decoration and several fireplaces. The attics have king post truss roofs with matchboard lining, while the cellars are lined with 19th-century brick.