16, Vineyards and attached railings

This is a house, built around 1760. It was developed as part of the Vineyards estate by Thomas Omer, with No. 16 built as part of a larger scheme, and heightened and altered in the early to mid 19th century. It was repaired and restored in 1996.

The house is constructed of limestone ashlar, with the ground floor painted, and has a Welsh slate roof. The plan is a narrow, double-depth configuration with the entrance on the right-hand side.

The exterior is two storeys with a full-height attic and a basement. The ground floor features paired six-over-six sash windows with stone mullions. The front door has a rectangular light above it. The first floor has tall paired six-over-six sashes, with the sills lowered to floor level, and a balcony supported by iron brackets with a cast iron railing. There is a cornice and a second cornice above, topped with a parapet. The second floor also has paired six-over-six sashes, plus a small window to the right. The rear elevation is not visible.

The interior was not inspected.

The site has a history dating back to 1638 when it was purchased from William Snygge. Later, in 1755, Charles Hayne sold the site to Thomas Omer and Thomas Jelly for building. The plot was consistently known as “Vineyards” throughout its history, although the time when vine growing ceased is unknown. No. 16 appears to have been originally built as the left-hand wing of No. 17, which was later subdivided in the 19th century. A rear wing was added to No. 17, and No. 16 became a separate house.