33-47, PARADE

This is a terrace of eight houses and shops, now occupied as a bank, shops, and offices, built around 1818-1830. Later additions and alterations include mid-to-late 20th century shop fronts and the incorporation of two dwellings (Nos. 45 and 47) into the Royal Priors shopping centre, along with a portico constructed between 1985 and 1987. The building is constructed of pinkish-brown brick with painted stucco facades, and has a concealed roof and cast-iron dressings.

The exterior is four storeys high, with a 25-window arrangement divided into three, seven, six, six, and three bays, the central and outer bays projecting. The left bay’s ground floor features vermiculated quoins. The first floor has tall 6/9 sash windows throughout, with plain reveals; the four windows to the left have a pulvinate frieze and cornice, the six to the centre have a frieze and cornice, and the three to the right have cornices. Blind boxes are present in windows 8 to 16. The second floor has 6/6 sash windows, with moulded surrounds, except for window 6, which is blocked; a continuous, tooled sill band runs along the first four windows, while other windows have sills. Above the left four windows is a dentil frieze, with stepped friezes elsewhere. A cornice and sill band are also present, interrupted by the windows. The third floor features 3/6 sash windows with plain reveals and tooled surrounds. A cornice, low parapet, and copings finish the exterior. The ground floor demonstrates some horizontal rustication. The entrance to No. 35 has a roll-edged step leading to a part-glazed door with a fanlight incorporating decorative glazing bars, flanked by pilasters with cut decoration. Otherwise, the ground floor has glazed shop fronts. Tall ridge stacks are located between the dwellings. A continuous balcony to the first floor, spanning Nos. 35 to 41, has a balustrade with an anthemion-and-scroll motif.

The left return is four storeys high with two first floor windows. The rusticated ground floor contains three round-arched openings with a door to the left, and plate glass windows elsewhere. The first and second floors have 6/6 sash windows, with sills to the first floor, plain reveals, and tooled surrounds. A continuous cornice serves as the sill to the second floor, while a dentil cornice acts as the sill to the third floor, which has 3/6 sash windows, plain reveals, and tooled surrounds. The rear elevation features 6/6 and 3/6 sash windows; No. 43 has a first-floor tripartite window with 9/9 panes between 3/3 sash windows, and a staircase window with a 6/8 sash and radial glazing to the head.

The interior of the staircase to the left (No. 33) displays decorative balusters and a wreathed handrail. No. 43 has a dogleg staircase from the first to third floor, featuring stick balusters, along with tooled doorcases, deep skirting boards, and cornices.

Historically, the site was originally known as Lillington Lane, renamed Union Row around 1809, then Union Parade by 1814, and finally The Parade in 1860. The lower section of the road was laid out and built around 1810-18, while the upper section, on the east side, was built between 1824 and 1840. No. 47 Parade was previously listed on 25 March 1970.