High House

HARWICH

TM2632NW KING'S QUAY STREET 609-1/2/77 (South West side) 30/06/64 Nos.29 AND 30 High House

GV II*

House, former pair of houses, attached railings and lantern holders. c1820. Brick, part Roman cement and with 2 parallel gambrel Welsh slate roofs. 3 storeys with basement and attics. 3 flat-roofed dormers with C20 small pane casements. EXTERIOR: front is of Gault Flemish-bond brickwork with rusticated rendered ground floor, plain rendered parapet and entablature, with slightly projecting edge pilaster strips. 3-window range of recessed double-hung sashes with small panes, stone sills and flat rubbed brick arches. On the ground floor the windows are inset under segmental moulded arches, their ends resting on a simple cornice. Main entrance at head of flight of 4 stone steps has segmental-headed fanlight with margin glazing and double-leaf contemporary varnished pine doors with 6 raised-and-fielded panels. Wrought-iron spear-headed railings enclose the basement area with rendered piers each with a shell-headed niche flanking the entrance. On these are large wrought-iron lantern holders with 4 diagonal console-shaped supports. Railings have backstays and strengthening panels with cast-iron anthemion crestings. SW flank and rear of red-brown brick with small pane double-hung sash windows. On the SW flank to a passageway is the second dwelling entrance with a segmental Roman cement arched recess, 5 stone steps and double doors each with 2 raised-and-fielded panels. Sidelights between console-like door posts and large rectangular 3-light fanlight with margin glazing. Iron shoescraper adjoins. INTERIOR: very complete and unaltered with 2 similar, simple cantilevered open-well staircases, with semicircular landings, column newels and stick balusters. One ground-floor room has moulded cornice and early C19 fireplace. Principal first-floor room has elaborate plaster cornice, contemporary skirtings and doors with reeded architraves, paterae at corners and moulded over-cornices. Another first-floor room has contemporary marble fireplace with roundels. Second-floor fireplace with cast-iron Art Nouveau surround and projecting moulded timber overmantel. On the rear there are small basement areas lighting via small pane double-hung sash windows. 2 internal borrowed lights one into stair well. Small slit window on first floor rear elevation to view church clock. Brick barrel-vaulted coal cellars under front 'terrace'. Built as 2 unequal houses presumably for members of same family.

Listing NGR: TM2615032541