55 and 57, Fore Street

This mid-19th century town house, originally designed with a double-depth plan, was later converted to incorporate two shops. The exterior is rendered in incised stucco, with moulded architraves on the first floor. The roof is covered in bitumen-grouted rag slate, featuring deep eaves projecting outwards supported by brackets. There are three brick stacks, and the building has cast-iron gutters with decorative lion heads. It is three storeys high and originally had a two-window facade. Late 20th-century windows now occupy the majority of the openings, with the exception of a late 19th-century four-pane sash window on the second floor to the right. The ground floor contains two altered shop fronts dating from the late 19th century, retaining original consoles and cornices. The interior shops have undergone late 20th-century alterations; the remainder of the building was not inspected. The property is included on the list for its contribution to the group value of the surrounding buildings.