31, Northampton Street

This is a house, built after 1819, located on Northampton Street. It was designed by G.P. Manners. The front of the building is faced with limestone ashlar, and the rear also has ashlar facing; it is a double-pile construction with a parapeted roof to the front and double Roman-shaped ends to the front and rear. The right side party wall has been rebuilt with brick and ashlar, incorporating two chimney stacks.

The house narrows towards the rear and features a front staircase. The front elevation is three storeys high with a basement, and has a two-window frontage. The first floor has an eight/eight-pane sash window in a plain reveal with a stone sill on the right, and a similar six/six-pane sash window on the left. The second floor has two two/two-pane sashes in plain reveals with stone sills. On the ground floor, there’s an eight/eight-pane sash window in a plain reveal with a stone sill to the right, and a six-panel door with reeded panels, fielded panels with voided corners, glazed panels, and a blocked fanlight, all set in a round-headed plain reveal. The basement has an eight/eight-pane sash window in a splayed reveal, partly above ground level, with a grating in the pavement. The exterior features a moulded cornice over the first floor, a lintel at eaves level, and a coped parapet. The rear elevation is ashlar faced, but otherwise not visible.

The interior of the building has not been inspected. Northampton Street and its surrounding development began around 1791, designed by Thomas Baldwin as trustee to William Pulteney. Construction continued from 1794 following the bankruptcy of the original contractors, with elevations on leases signed by Thomas Chantry and John Pinch. Further completion occurred after 1819, documented by plans and elevations on leases signed by G.P. Manners. The building suffered bomb damage in 1942, which resulted in significant redevelopment of the lower part of the street.