34-38, Tavistock Street Wc2

TQ 3080 NE CITY OF WESTMINSTER TAVISTOCK STREET, WC2 (south side) 73/18 Nos 34 to 38 (even) 5.2.70 G.V. II Terrace houses with shops. c1733 rebuild. Stock brick, slate roofs. 3 storeys and attic storey (largely rebuilt to Nos 34 and 36). 3-window wide fronts to Nos 34 and 36, 2 windows wide to No 38. Ground floor shop fronts: No 34 with early C19 pilastered shop front with panelled door to right and 3 windows between pilasters, under entablature-fascia; No 36 has least altered shop front with panelled house door to left and 2 small-paned display windows flanking panelled shop door, all framed by pilasters under entablature-fascia; No 38 has partly altered early C19 shop front including house door to right in wooden frame with entablature-fascia. Upper floors have recessed glazing bar sashes. Painted stone or stucco cornice below attic storey and parapet with coping, No 38 with 2nd floor sill band. On parapet between Nos 34 and 36 is a reset date tablet inscribed "Yorke Street 1636"; Gothic cast iron guard rails to attic windows of No 36. Interiors of Nos 34 and 38 retain dog leg staircases with turned and twisted balusters partially intact as are elements of panelling;but the best preserved interior is that of No 36 with passage hall opened up by early C19 elliptical arch with Grecian detail and good cut and carved string staircase with 2 twisted and turned balusters per tread to the main floors and plainer turned balusters on closed string to upper flights, Doric column newels; the stairwell is fully panelled; fully panelled 1st floor front room with later enriched plaster cornice, the back room similar retaining box cornice; 2nd floor rear room also intact with veined marble original chimney piece in angled chimney breast, etc. No 36 was the residence of Thomas de Quincey while writing his "Confessions of an English Opium Eater". Survey of London; Vol XXXVI.

Listing NGR: TQ3055780929