13 And 14, Westgate Buildings

These are a pair of houses, later used as offices with shops, dating to circa 1775. They form part of what was once a shallow crescent of buildings, much of which was destroyed by bombing in 1942. The buildings have undergone alterations in the 19th and 20th centuries.

They are constructed of limestone ashlar to the front, with rubble to the end and rear, and have slate roofs. The plan is of large terrace houses, originally part of a long terrace, with double mansard roofs and a main entrance and staircase on the right-hand side.

The exterior is three storeys, attic, and basement, with three windows wide. No. 13 has two dormers, with plain sashes, above twelve-pane windows in moulded architraves. The first floor windows are plain sashes in architraves with cornices, and a pedimented centre light with sills on brackets. The ground floor has a 19th-century pilaster shopfront, with a recessed central door, and to the right, a six-panel door in a warped doorway with architraves and deep scroll consoles to a moulded slab cornice on a pulvinated frieze. A deep platband sits above the ground floor, topped by a modillion cornice with a blocking course and a parapet, with deep stacks to the left. The rear elevation has two casement dormers above replacement twelve-pane sashes, mainly in squared rubble, although stair lights on the left are in ashlar walling.

No. 14 is similar to No. 13, with plain sashes in similar mouldings, but also features splayed surrounds. The ground floor has a 19th-century pilaster shopfront and a panelled door and surround to the right. The end gable, rebuilt after the bombing, has a narrow plain sash at four levels, and deep flush double stacks. The rear has two wide-spaced casement dormers, with a triple eight:twelve:eight-pane sash at three levels on the ground and first floors, with a small straight drip course. C20 doors with side-lights provide access to the basement, contained within a small fenced area. Stair lights are set into the ashlar walling, as on No. 13.

The interiors have not been inspected. These buildings were originally part of a development that continued south to St James Parade. The ground on the west side of Westgate Buildings was leased in 1775, and a building to the south was auctioned as "new built" in 1796. The street was largely destroyed by bombing in April 1942.