4, Princes Street

This is a late 18th century house, built of brick which has been rendered and painted, with a tiled roof. The house is L-shaped, comprising a two-storey main range with attics, facing Princes Street, and a two-storey wing to the rear, at the northern end. The main range has a tiled, mansard roof with two box dormers at the front and back, each with six-paned sash windows; those on the west-facing front elevation have horns. Chimneys are located on both north and south gables, with the southern chimney particularly prominent, revealing remnants of the roofline of a demolished neighbouring house. The rear wing has a lower pitched, tiled roof with a central ridge stack.

The west elevation of the main range is symmetrical, featuring a central wooden doorcase with panelled pilasters, a cornice, a fanlight, and a modern door. Flanking the door are sixteen-paned, unhorned sash windows, with three similar windows above them on the first floor. Ground-floor sash windows are present on the north and south gable ends of the main range, the southern one featuring horns. The east elevation of the main range has a ground-floor arrangement of paired twelve-light sash windows separated by a wooden mullion, above which is a single twelve-light sash. All windows in the main range are recessed within cambered arched openings, as are those in the gable end of the rear wing; other windows in the rear wing are mainly six-paned, horned sashes, along with modern French windows on the south elevation and a modern glazed door on the north elevation.

The interior of the main range has been altered, with ground-floor walls removed to create an open shop space. A modern staircase in the rear wing provides access to the first floor, which also has partition walls removed and is used as offices. Attics are similarly used. Fireplaces and other original detailing have been lost.

The building dates from the late 18th century and was converted to a shop and offices in the late 20th century; the ground-floor shop is currently vacant. Historical Ordnance Survey maps between 1888 and 1926 show a more substantial rear wing, along with gardens and outbuildings. Originally situated at the north end of a row of demolished buildings, it shared a south gable chimney stack with its neighbour. The current rear wing appears to have been constructed in the mid-to-late 20th century. The building is designated at Grade II for its special architectural and historical interest as a largely intact late 18th century house retaining its fabric and external detail.