Johnson Birthplace Museum

This is a substantial house and former bookshop, dating to approximately 1707, originally built for Michael Johnson. It was later established as a museum in 1901 and now incorporates a bookshop (since 1990). The building is timber-framed with brick infill and stucco facades, and has a tile roof, hipped at the right end, with brick stacks. It is constructed on a double-depth plan, exhibiting a Georgian style.

The principal facade is three storeys high and has a five-window range. The first floor is jettied and supported by two Tuscan columns and one Doric column in the centre, all resting on simple plinths with a frieze and cornice above. Giant angle pilasters rise to the upper floors, topped by a modillioned timber cornice. The paired entrances are framed by fielded-panel pilaster strips, with friezes and cornices above the six-fielded-panel doors, approached by opposed steps with wooden handrails. The ground floor has two 18-pane sash windows with thick glazing bars (the interior glazing bars are ovolo-moulded) to the left end, and one 24-pane sash window to the right. The first and second floor windows are similar, with narrow sills and 18-pane sashes with thick glazing bars in moulded frames, but two on the right end of the first floor are later replacements.

The right return to Market Street shows platt bands, with an entrance featuring a small-paned overlight above a six-fielded-panel door with iron railings. To the right of the entrance are paired projecting windows with sills, an entablature, and 24-pane sashes. The upper windows have nine-pane sashes, those on the second floor featuring thick glazing bars. Two hipped dormers with nine-pane sashes are also present. The left return reveals the original timber framing. A wrought-iron sign bracket is located at the right end. The rear of the building has both 18-pane and 9-pane sashes, along with two gables.

The interior features a dogleg staircase with column-on-vase balusters, square newels, and moulded handrails. The first floor has a corner fireplace with a Regency grate, and a comparable fireplace in a rear room. A two-panel door has H-L hinges. A room at the right end contains a cornice, architraves and window seats, and a fireplace with an overmantel. The attic has stick balusters to the staircase, as well as exposed timber framing and roof trusses.

The house is historically significant as the birthplace of Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84), writer and lexicographer, who lived there until 1735; he was the son of Michael Johnson, the bookseller.