80 And 81, High Street

BIDEFORD

SS4526 HIGH STREET 842-1/5/136 (North side) Nos.80 AND 81

GV II

Pair of houses with shop. Late C19. Solid rendered front with wooden bay windows. Slate mansard roof. Large red-brick chimney on centre of ridge, the upper courses projecting to form an entablature. Classical style. 3 storeys with garret; 4-window range. Ground storey has 2 later shop fronts. That to left is late C20; that to right early C20 with coloured leaded glass at the tops of the display windows. Upper storeys have in the centre a pair of bay windows with curved sides. Each storey of these is finished with an entablature having a panelled frieze; between-storeys they are linked by further panels. Sashes with horns; the middle ones have patterned margin-panes, those in the upper storeys forming round arches. Outer windows narrow and round-arched, with moulded archivolts and keyblocks. Linking the sills and imposts to the bays are moulded stringcourses, the between-storeys panelling and top entablatures of the bays similarly continued across the fronts. 4 dormer windows, the middle 2 round-arched with imposts, moulded archivolts and keyblocks; the outer 2 plain with pent roofs. Rear wall (visible from New Street) has sash windows with a single upright glazing-bar to each sash. The houses form an important part of the townscape, particularly when looking up the High Street from The Quay. Included for group value.

Listing NGR: SS4538026604