25 Elm Street

25 Elm Street is an early 19th-century house that incorporates earlier fabric from the 16th century.

The building is principally constructed of brick laid in Flemish bond, with rendered timber-framed elements. The roofs are covered in Welsh slate and plain tiles.

The plan is irregular and expresses the evolution of the house over time. The principal staircase is located in a 1900 extension at the south-east corner.

The principal elevation faces east onto a small yard set back from Elm Street. It comprises three early 19th-century bays with a later single-bay extension to the south dating from around 1900. The 19th-century bays are two storeys high, covered in a pitched slate roof with projecting eaves, a modillion cornice, and a broken central pediment supported on brick pilasters. The flanks have rusticated brick quoins. Timber sash windows on each floor of the east and west bays have plain reveals, stucco flat arches and keystones. The central doorway features fluted Doric columns in antis (recessed behind the pilasters) and a Doric entablature. The window above the doorway has a balustraded panel at its base, a stucco architrave, and a broken scroll pediment. The 1900 extension to the left is in red brick laid in Flemish bond, set back from the principal elevation. At ground floor is a brick porch with a moulded classical architrave and cornice.

The south elevation has two distinct characters. On the right, the 1900 brick extension features a tall nine-over-nine sash window. On the left is a blank rendered elevation of two storeys with a shallow gable.

The rear (west) elevation connects at ground floor to a 1974 office extension. The walling is covered in lined and painted render. At ground floor are two large early-to-mid 19th-century horned sash windows with margin lights. Above at first floor level is a pair of six-over-six sash windows that retain external awning boxes. Above the ground floor link to the later extension are two smaller windows, each set further back from the main elevation.

Two successive 19th-century extensions run from the early 19th-century house along the northern property boundary. They are built of red brick with plain tiled roofs. On the north side are two small windows at ground floor and four at first floor. On the west elevation is a small window beneath a plain gable. On the south side are three windows replaced in the late 20th or early 21st century, all in timber frames, and two brick chimney stacks.

The interior retains chimney breasts, elements of its original plan form, and some features of historic craftsmanship. Joinery survives well throughout, including six or four-panelled doors, the 1900 staircase, architraves, window frames, and skirtings.

The most significant interior feature is the 16th-century ceiling in the room at the south-west corner of the ground floor. This room is divided in two by a folding partition which obscures the principal transverse beam. The longitudinal beam is large and richly moulded with layers of rolls and hollow chamfers. The joists—15 in number—are smaller but also have hollow chamfers and rolls.

The roof structure over the rear of the house comprises a raked queen strut truss with iron tie posts.

The interior is partly characterised by late 20th-century finishes or alterations to accommodate office requirements, including at ground floor the reception area, the blocking of an archway in the north-east room, and the infilling of a doorway in the south-east room.