Postal Museum

BROAD STREET (West side) Nos.8 AND 9 Postal Museum (Formerly Listed as: BROAD STREET (West side) Nos.8 AND 9) 05/08/75

GV II

Postal Museum and shop. Late C18, rebuilt 1823 with late C19, 1906 and C20 alterations. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar to front; ashlar, rubble and coursed squared limestone to rear; limestone rubble to right side. Double pile parapeted roof, double Romans to front, not visible to rear, to front range with hipped roof covered in double Romans to range to rear right, gabled roof covered in artificial slate to range to rear left. Ashlar right end stack to front roof, ashlar stacks to ends of rear ranges. EXTERIOR: Three storeys and basement, five window range. First floor has five six/six horned sashes in splayed cyma moulded architraves with friezes and cornices; second floor has five six/six sashes in cyma moulded architraves rising from stone sills. Ground floor has to left C20 shopfront and to centre five panel door with flush beaded and moulded panels in hollow cut reveal, both under stone cornice of former shopfront with three acroteria to left end and over door. Ground floor to right has 1906 shopfront by J.W. Gardiner, with C20 alterations with plate glass windows flanking recessed glazed door with overlight, terrazzo floor to lobby has lettering L T POUND, all in surround with panelled pilasters and carved consoles to fascia and dentil cornice. No openings to basement. Sill band to first floor, bracketed eaves cornice and coped parapet. Lead hopperhead and downpipe attached to left. Late C19 iron bracket for hanging sign over door to centre. Rear elevation has canted bay containing staircase to centre, horned sashes in plain reveals, lead hopperhead and downpipe attached to rear right. INTERIOR: Noted as having been heavily altered to ground floor of Postal Museum (No.8), shop (No.9) has run cornice, and ovolo moulded archivolt to chimneybreast alcove to front room. HISTORY: No.8 Broad Street was formerly a Post Office; from which the first adhesive postage stamps in the world were franked and sent on 8th May 1840. This premises was the King's Arms, and was leased to J. Wilshire of Shockerwick in 1800 with a newly built messuage' (Council Minutes 02.07.1800). In 1823 it was leased to William Basketthaving rebuilt former King's Arms' (Council Minutes 26th March 1823). SOURCES: G. Finch, Shopfront Record, Bath City Council (1992).

Listing NGR: ST7501765063