23 Westgate (formerly Blue Man Public House)

Inn, constructed during the early-C18, extended during the mid-C19, converted to a restaurant in around 2008.

MATERIALS: the building is fronted in painted render, probably over brick, with a roof covering of concrete tiles.

PLAN: the building is arranged on a C-shaped plan, with the principal, earliest range fronting Westgate to the west, and the two ancillary ranges running eastward along the northern and southern boundaries of the plot. There is an additional single-storey extension adjoining the northernmost bay of the front range

EXTERIOR: all three ranges are of two storeys plus attics under pitched roofs. The principal, west range is four bays wide onto Westgate with a gable end onto Welby Street. the main entrance is within the third bay, and comprises a simply-moulded timber door frame and C20, six-panelled door. The southernmost bay contains a large, square window with a moulded timber surround, while to the north of the doorway is a tripartite, fixed window with a segmental-arched head. On the first floor are three, equally-sized window openings containing two-over-two sashes and a fourth, blocked window over the doorway. There are three dormers with pitched roofs supported on moulded timber brackets, each containing a three-over-three sash window. Ridge chimney stacks rise from the two gable end walls and in line with the northern jamb of the main entrance. Projecting from the northernmost bay is a three-sided, single-storey extension under a hipped roof, abutting the gable end of the building to the north. Its windows are all C20 timber or steel casements. The south elevation of the front range (on Welby Street) contains a plain doorway in its western bay and a timber sash window on the ground and first floors of the eastern bay. The mid-C19 range fronting Welby Street is four bays wide and slightly taller than the earlier, western range. The ground floor contains a blocked window opening, two C20 fixed windows with vents and a late-C20 timber and glazed shopfront. The first floor contains four, evenly-spaced windows under segmental-arched heads, the two western windows containing renewed timber sashes, and a fifth, flat-headed opening containing a small, late-C20 casement window. On the attic level are four small, late-C20 casement windows, which break through the corbelled eaves brickwork. Two rendered chimney stacks rise through the roof ridge. The rear gable of this range is much altered and contains a series of late-C20 windows, plain doorway and large extraction chimney associated with the take-away use.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 11 October 2023 to upload the correct description and amendment date.