Darwin's Townhouse

Darwin's Townhouse, located at No. 37 St Julian's Friars in Shrewsbury, is a Grade II* listed house dating from around 1800. The building is constructed of brick and features a Welsh slate roof. It stands three storeys high and has two windows on the front, which faces south. The entrance is centrally located and is framed by a pedimented porch. Above the entrance, there are twelve-pane sash windows, which are also present on the eastern elevation. The garden front to the west includes a full-height octagonal bay with sash windows. A lower block to the north is a somewhat later addition, and the house has axial stacks.

Inside, the original interior remains largely intact, showcasing plaster work that is likely by Smith of Shifnal. To the left of the entrance is the original staircase, leading to an octagonal drawing room. This drawing room features ornate plaster work in the Adam style, including a low dado rail and a panelled ceiling with low relief panels depicting zodiac signs, putti, and classical scenes. The doorway and an arched niche are adorned with shell-moulding, and there is an original fire surround with a hunting scene in low relief below the mantel. To the right of the entrance is the dining room, which also has an original fire surround, though it includes a later grate and tiles. The dining room features plaster wall-panelling with mirrors surrounded by high relief swags, as well as a plaster panelled ceiling with a low relief panel in one first-floor room overlooking the garden.

The house is graded for the high quality of its interior plasterwork.