Numbers 12-42 And Attached Railings To Numbers 16 And 18 And 20A

Terrace of 16 houses, some probably with shops, now comprising shops, offices and flats, with attached railings to numbers 16, 18 and 20A. Built circa 1827-36, with later additions and alterations including rear ranges, late 19th-century shop fronts, and mid to late 20th-century ground floors and shop fronts. The façades to numbers 22 and 24 have been repaired and restored with rebuilding to the rear.

The buildings are constructed in pinkish-brown brick laid in English Garden Wall bond with painted stucco front and side façades. The roofs are concealed and covered in Welsh slate. Cast-iron balconies and railings embellish the frontage.

The plan is double-depth. The exterior comprises a terrace arranged in two stages of build: seven dwellings on the right (numbers 30-42) and nine on the left (numbers 12-28). The buildings are four storeys high with a basement to the fourth dwelling from the right (number 18). There are 38 first-floor windows. Three ranges step between the sixth and seventh dwellings (numbers 28 and 30) and between the eleventh and twelfth dwellings (numbers 18 and 20), with the eleven dwellings to the left projecting.

Stucco detailing includes remains of horizontal rustication to the ground floor. The first and second floors feature tall Ionic pilasters at the ends of each stepped range and between dwellings, fluted to the left and plain to the right. A second-floor band is present on the left range but missing to the sixth dwelling.

The first floor contains seventeen six-pane French windows with divided overlights, two tall four-over-four sashes, six tall six-over-nine sashes, one nine-over-six sash, and eleven tall six-over-nine sashes, all with plain reveals. The second floor features mainly six-over-six sashes except the 35th window, which is a three-over-six sash, all with plain reveals and sills throughout. A stepped frieze and cornice runs across. The third floor has mainly three-over-six sashes, with the 4th, 10th and 11th windows as six-over-six sashes, all with plain reveals. A cornice appears to the right (numbers 12-28), with a blocking course and copings throughout. Tall ridge stacks rise between dwellings, except to numbers 22-28.

Several original ground-floor entrances survive. Numbers 40, 38, 34 and 32 have distyle Ionic porches with entablatures. Numbers 28, 20A, 18, 16A and 14A have rusticated cambered arches. Those to numbers 18, 16A and 14A contain part-glazed, panelled double doors with thin pilasters and side-lights (with glazing bars to numbers 16A and 14A), cambered overlights with glazing bars, and five or six roll-edged steps to each. Number 18 has a tripartite window divided by fluted pilasters with a panelled apron and cornice, featuring a 12-pane casement between 8-pane casements; the basement has an eight-over-eight sash. Number 14 has a projecting shop front of two canted bays with plinth, pilasters to the angles, central entrance, frieze and cornice. Number 20 has a projecting shop front with three Doric pillars, plinth, plate-glass windows, a smaller Corinthian column to the return, frieze and cornice.

Continuous balconies to each range extend to the first floor. The left range features a circle and lozenge motif; the centre has the Carron Company double-heart-and-anthemion motif; and the right has a double-rod-and-anthemion motif.

The rear comprises three ranges. The left return is four storeys with three first-floor windows, and a further two-storey extension with one first-floor window. The main range features a ground floor with remains of plinth and horizontal rustication. Tall fluted Ionic pilasters to the first and second floors at the ends are surmounted by frieze and cornice. A second-floor band is present. The first floor has six-pane French windows with divided overlights, the centre one with margin-lights. The second floor has six-over-six sashes with sills, and the third floor has three-over-six sashes. All windows have plain reveals. A blocking course and copings extend throughout. A further range has a moulded plinth. An entrance to the right contains a part-glazed door with roll-moulded lower panel and overlight within a doorcase of engaged Tuscan pilasters on plinths, frieze and cornice. To the left is a two-over-two sash with apron in a similar surround. A moulded first-floor band is present. To the first floor left, a two-over-two sash with apron appears within a moulded surround on plinths. A cornice and stack are to the left.

Interior features include dogleg staircases in number 18 with cast-iron balusters to the ground floor featuring decorative scrolls and anthemion motifs on fluted rods. From the first to second floors are stick balusters. Number 20 has a narrow-openwell staircase from the first floor with remains of tapered rod-on-bobbin balusters and stick balusters. The first floors of numbers 18 and 20 retain classical motifs in their cornices, ceiling roses, some marble fireplaces, shutters to some windows, and four-panel doors; the first-floor drawing room survives intact in number 20. Number 14A has a dogleg staircase with stick balusters and a wreathed handrail.

The railings to entrances and to the area of number 18 (with gate) have bars with anthemion finials and dog-bars with lozenge finials, with urn finials to the gatepost. The basement steps have stick-baluster railings. The railings to number 20 have been renewed.

Historically, the Parade was named in 1860, originally being known as Lillington Lane. It was renamed Union Row circa 1809 and then Union Parade by 1814. Houses to the Lower Parade were built circa 1808-14, with the Upper Parade, west side, built circa 1827-40. All town centre buildings were initially constructed as houses, lodging-houses or hotels, but by 1850 many on the Parade had become shops. Number 59 Warwick Street adjoins number 59A.