1-12, Darlington Street

A terrace of twelve houses built in the early 19th century, with later 19th-century alterations. They are possibly the work of John Pinch the Elder. The houses are constructed of limestone ashlar, with rubble to the rear, and have double-pitched slate roofs with moulded stacks to the party walls, some topped with hand-thrown chimney pots. Each house has a double-depth plan and extends over four storeys, including an attic and basement. They have a two-window range, with Nos. 1, 2, and 12 slightly projecting. A continuous low coped parapet runs along the top, with cornices above and below the attic storey, as well as sill bands on the second and first floors, and a plinth at the base. Originally, the attic windows were three/three-pane sashes, the second floor windows were six/six-pane sashes, the first floor windows featured six/six-pane sashes and small balconettes, and the ground floor windows were eight/eight-pane sashes with banded rustication below the sills. Most of the houses now have late 19th-century plate glass sash windows. The surrounds are plain, and the entrances have semicircular arches and fanlights above six-panel doors. Between Nos. 10 and 11 is a semi-elliptical carriage arch, one and a half storeys high. Above the arch is a frieze of semi-elliptical section with a small window in the centre. No. 12 has a four-bay frontage to Darlington Street, stepping forward, while its left return fronts onto Vane Street, sharing a similar design with that street, incorporating a first-floor sill band, ground floor platband, and banded rustication to the ground floor with radial voussoirs. Windows on the left return are blind, and a six-panel door with margin panes over a three-pane overlight is set into a ground-floor blind window, likely concealing cellar steps. The upper floors have three/three-pane sashes to the attic, six/six-pane sashes to the second floor, and plate glass sash windows to the lower floors. The site belonged to Lord Darlington, who inherited it in 1808 and gave land for the construction of the Church of St Mary. John Pinch the Elder was the Darlington Estate surveyor. Interior inspections took place at several of the properties during the 1970s and 1980s; No. 2 had fine mouldings and a large ground floor window with panelling below, No. 4 featured an Early Victorian fireplace with original white marble to the rear, No. 7 had been converted to flats, No. 9 retained original ground floor sashes and rear windows and a fireplaces with cupboards either side, and No. 8 had original ground floor sashes and Victorian fireplaces, with original floorboards on the first floor.