The Limes And Garden Wall To North Attached

This is a late 17th-century former house, now offices, with a mid-19th-century range to the rear. It is situated on Rochester Street, with an attached garden wall to the north. The building comprises two parallel ranges of unequal height, standing gable end-on to the street. The plan features a high-status ground floor room to the left, a central staircase to the rear, and a mid-19th century range running parallel to the street under a hipped roof with an end stack. The original 17th-century build is two storeys and an attic, while the rear range is three storeys.

The front facade presents two gabled bays. The taller range has an entrance to the right, with a panelled door set within a surround. Above it is a late 18th-century bowed oriel window with eight hornless sashes under a cornice, along with a single 12-pane hornless sash within a flush frame. The left-hand range has two 16-pane hornless sashes under a continuous lintel to the ground floor, a recessed 1st-floor window, and a 12-pane sash to the gable wall.

The right return shows later brick underpinning and a single original sash window, while others have been replaced. A doorway, with a bracketed canopy, gives access to a short projecting rear extension of the 17th-century range, set under a catslide roof. The rear elevation displays a regular four-window range; it features 12-pane and 16-pane hornless sashes in reveals, with external shutters to the ground floor. A centrally located doorway has panelled reveals, attached Doric columns, a canopy, and a 20th-century glazed door with glazing bars.

Inside, fine plasterwork of around 1690s is found on the ground floor's left-hand side, including a central oval relief depicting foliage and fruit within a square frame. An internal doorcase has a pediment and shouldered surround. A central open-wall staircase features a turned baluster to each tread, square-section newels, a panelled string, and little Doric columns supporting the landings. There is also stepped panelled wainscoting. The original building contains contemporary joinery, including panelled doors, some with H-hinges, and a bolection moulded chimney-piece. The mid-19th century rear range has door surrounds and other joinery.