Diabold

Diabold, located at No. 12 High Street in Great Dunmow, is a shop that was formerly a town house, dating from the late 18th century, with possible earlier origins. The building has two storeys and a double pile plan, featuring a front block that is timber framed and plastered, and a rear block constructed of brick. It has two parallel ranges of slate gabled roofs.

The front facade consists of three bays, with a plain plaster string band marking the first floor. There is a painted timber cornice with modillions that is underscaled. The upper floor features three double hung sash windows with large panes, which have unusual broad band architraves with attached console brackets. The ground floor has two similar but deeper windows, along with a central doorcase. This doorcase is adorned with fluted Tuscan half columns and a reduced entablature that includes fluting and roundels. Above the door is a semi-circular fanlight with cast iron Gothick glazing bars, all surrounded by a band of lattice patterning. The doorcase is flanked by three part attenuated door pilasters with moulded caps.

Access to the building is via a flight of stone cantilevered steps that feature cast iron ventilator strips leading to the basement, along with a contemporary handrail that has cast iron anthemium balusters. There are also two basement vents with semi-circular areas and four octagonal stone bollards across the frontage.

Inside, the building has contemporary reeded cornices and fire-surrounds, an arched entrance lobby, and a contemporary simple staircase with plain balusters. There are traces of ashlared plaster on the first floor.