Hertford Post Office

The Hertford Post Office is a building of 1890, designed by H Johnson and constructed by H Norris. It occupies the site of the former Chequer Inn and Chequers Yard. The front is of orange brick with limestone dressings and decorative features, while the rear outshut is of yellow brick with red brick dressings. The roof is slate-covered with a central gabled panel and a cupola to the left, featuring ornamental iron railings and turned wood finial posts, with a gabled roof over the outshut.

The building is three storeys high with a three-bay front. A narrow, half-width entry bay is on the left, and the central bay projects above ground level. The first floor has seven elliptical-headed recessed sash windows, with a single window to the left and paired windows with antae in between. Pilasters with modified Corinthian capitals support an entablature with a carved swag frieze at second-floor level and a panelled frieze below the sill. A continuous arcade with Ionic colonnettes and semicircular arches runs along the second floor, flanked by pilasters with foliated caps, a frieze, and moulded stone urns. The central bay has a gable with a carved panel, a pilaster surround, and a curved gable; the cupola features red brick pilasters with stone bands, four arched openings, a cornice with inverted consoles, and a curved hipped stone cap.

The ground floor has a former doorway with a stone architrave surround, a two-light fanlight with a central colonnette, and segmental stone pediments. Bays are separated by brick pilasters with stone bands and Tuscan caps. Two recessed mullion and transom windows have elliptical heads, elliptical arches built with alternating brushed brick and stone voussoirs, and projecting keyblocks. An arch opening provides access to the twitchell, which runs alongside the rear outshut, and features sash windows with divided glazing beneath red rubbed brick flat arches. A long, single-storey continuation of the outshut exists, along with late 20th-century flat-roofed extensions, which are of no particular interest.

The interior has been significantly altered. In 1849, residents of the previous buildings on the site were severely affected by cholera. The site was owned by the Hertford Poor Estate Charity, who redeveloped it for a cost of £2000. The property was let to the Government Postmaster General for £120 per year and sold to the General Post Office after 21 years. The original entrance was from Fore Street, with a sorting office in the outshut behind and a telephone exchange on the first floor.