5 and 7 South Street

Pair of dwellings with ground floor shops constructed during the late-C18, extended in both the C19 and C20.

MATERIALS: the building is constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond and painted white at number 5. Both buildings have timber shop fronts onto South Street, and a roof covering of slate.

PLAN: the original, C18 front range of the buildings is arranged on a rectangular, two-unit plan with principal elevations to the west facing South Street, with a passage between the two buildings. Both buildings have been extended to the rear, number 7 to a greater extent and now occupying a long, narrow plan.

EXTERIOR: the building is three storeys in height plus basement under a half-hipped roof with dentillated eaves to the west elevation. A lateral, brick chimney stack rises from the southern party wall of number 7. The pair of properties are symmetrically arranged above the ground-floor shopfronts, with a single, centrally-placed, timber sash window under a segmental brick arch on the first and second floors, set within timber surrounds slightly recessed within the brick façade. At number 5, the first-floor window has six-over-one glazing, and the second-floor window has nine-over-one glazing. At number 7, both windows have six-over-six glazing. The mid-to late-C20 shopfront at number 5 comprises a large plate glass window over a tiled step with plain, flanking pilasters and a large, plain fascia board. The late-C19 or early-C20 shopfront at number 7 has a stucco stall riser with a barred cellar window and a large, plate glass shop window flanked by fluted pilasters. To the left (north), the main entrance comprises a half-glazed, C20 door with a moulded over light above and flanked by fluted pilasters (the southern pilaster is shared with the shop window). To the north again, the entrance to the passageway is incorporated into the timber and stucco shopfront, also being flanked by fluted pilasters, with a wide, plank door. A timber fascia board and flat, lead-coped hood runs across the shopfront and passageway. Each property has a cross wing projecting eastwards under a gable roof. Both properties have also been extended eastwards. At number 7, there is a long, one to two storey range under a pitched roof, while at number 5, the rear extension appears to be a single storey and under a flat roof.