7 And 8, The Crescent

These are a pair of houses located on The Crescent, Wisbech, built in 1808 as part of the planned Castle Estate by Joseph Medworth. They were designed as part of a wider scheme to create a circular layout. The houses are constructed of local brown brick with stone dressings and a slate roof. They are three storeys high with basements and have seven bays.

The facade is symmetrical, with the central three bays projecting slightly and featuring a triangular pediment and dentil enrichment to the stone cornice. A parapet with blind balustraded panels sits atop the structure. Rusticated stone quoins and jambs feature around the carriageway. Stone bands define the first and second floors, and a plinth band runs along the base. A central round-headed blind arch spans the first and second floors, with a stone panel and a doorcase framing a balcony window incorporating Ionic pilasters and an open segmental pediment; patterned iron balcony railings are present. A small, nine-paned sash window is set within a segmental arch above. There are six nine-paned sash windows on the second floor, set within recessed segmental brick arches, four twelve-paned windows on the first floor, and two balcony windows with recessed segmental arches. Matching entrances are positioned to the left and right, each set within double recessed round-headed brick arches, which incorporate fanlights and six-fielded-panelled doors. Two round-headed sash windows and two windows with stone arches flank the carriageway.

The interior of No. 7 retains good original details including an open-string staircase, six-panelled doors, panelled window shutters, and lower doors to the balcony windows, along with plastered friezes and cornices, and original chimney pieces. No. 8 retains an original open-string staircase with modern casing protecting the balusters, a good chimneypiece, and panelled lower balcony doors, as well as a six-panelled door with applied relief panels. The rear elevation features two small bay windows with segmental plans, tented roofs, and balcony railings.