20, Newcomen Road

This is a priest’s house, likely built between 1868 and 1869 by the architect J.A. Hansom. It incorporates elements of what is believed to be a structure dating back to around 1630, thought to have originally been almshouses. The exterior is constructed of local limestone rubble with Bathstone dressings, some of which have been replaced with concrete in the late 20th century. It features lateral stone stacks with brick chimneyshafts and a slate roof.

The design is a simple early Decorated style. The front elevation, visible from Newcomen Road, is a three-storey gable, with two storeys behind. It has a two-window frontage. Most windows are paired lancets with Tudor arches, although the ground-floor window is a three-light design in the same style. The original door, consisting of three vertical panels over a plain overlight, is set within an arch-headed doorway. Concrete has replaced some of the quoins and voussoirs. The right return, facing Chapel Lane, exhibits irregular window placement, including 19th-century sash windows with four and six panes.

The front wall is largely 19th century, but reveals signs of earlier construction, such as straight joints, blocked openings, and projecting chimneyshafts. One old doorway is blocked and filled with a window containing thick glazing bars, likely dating to the 18th century. Adjacent to this is a blocked arch.

The interior features standard Victorian details, such as a staircase, and any possible 17th-century features are concealed. The roof has not been inspected. The priest’s house and the adjacent church provide visual interest within a street dominated by 19th-century architecture.