The Friary

PORTSMOUTH

774-1/0/10026 MARMION ROAD 09-JUL-04 Southsea The Friary, nos 1-24 consecutive

II Purpose-built model dwellings for the poor. Built in 1851 in Gothic style. Architect Thomas Ellis Owen. Comprises 24 individual dwellings and one shop on the Friary Close frontage. EXTERIOR: Faced in roughcast render with smooth rendered dressings with slate roof with a series of cemented chimneystacks. Large irregularly-shaped building forming a rough L shape. Three storeys. The entrance front facing Friary Close has four casement windows to the second floor (the two central ones joined), five casement windows to the first floor (of which two are joined and two are square oriel windows supported on brackets. The ground floor has five sash windows with vertical glazing bars and horns, the end two to the right forming a small shop with central doorcase. Plinth. Attached to the left is an archway with stone corbels and above (within a stylised rendered ribbon)lettering "THE FRIARY" flanked by Maltese crosses. Behind the arch is a further range of nine windows in all with similar windows except no oriel windows and with projecting gabled bays to the first and fifth bays from the left. The gables have plain bargeboards with pendants. To the right is an arched porch. The left side return has two windows, one of which on the first floor is a square oriel supported on wooden brackets. The rear elevation has two gables, one of which has elaborate fretted bargeboards. Windows aere mainly original except for a few uPVC replacements. INTERIOR: Plain stone staircases with wooden balusters. Each dwelling consisted of a sitting room with two or three bedrooms leading off internal corridors, specifically to "protect the inmates from the outer air". Model dwellings for the poor are a rare building type and this is a substantially intact example in Gothic style by the distinguished Portsmouth architect Thomas Ellis Owen.