Prospect Place

BIDEFORD

SS4526 THE QUAY 842-1/5/231 (West side) 19/03/73 Nos.21, 22 AND 23 Prospect Place

GV II

House, now a range of 3 shops with offices and accommodation above. Late C17 or early C18, heightened and divided into two (Nos 21-22 and 23) in early or mid C19. Nos 21-22 were subsequently subdivided and the upper floors of Nos 22 and 23 have been run together. Solid rendered walls; third-storey front wall possibly timber-framed. Slate roofs; perforated red crested ridge-tiles on front range of No 21, non-perforated ones on rear roof of No 23. Old red-brick chimney (partly rendered) with raised band at the top, on ridge at right-hand end of No 21. Late C19 or early C20 cream-brick chimneys at right-hand end of No 23 and on its rear gable. Plan probably 3 rooms wide originally. Gabled wings at rear of Nos 22 and 23, extending back to Queen Street; wing at No 23 is probably at least C18. 3 storeys; 5-window range. No 23 (2 windows) has raised quoins; No 22 (1 window) has quoins painted on at left-hand side, oddly placed to coincide with the jambs of the right-hand windows of No 21. All 3 houses have shop fronts, possibly of early or mid C20 dated; the raised quoins survive at either end of No 23 at this level, though cut back on left-hand side. Upper storeys have flush-framed sashes: 6-paned, except for the lower second-storey sashes at Nos 22-23. Sashes at No 21 have horns. Moulded board below the eaves. Fixed to the front of No 22 is a C19 oval plaque inscribed PROSPECT PLACE. Second-storey window at No 23 has barred sashes in a recessed box-frame: 6 panes below and 3 above. INTERIOR: first-floor room at No 22 has original moulded plaster ceiling set between 2 plastered beams: centre oval enclosed by 4 shaped panels, moulded cornice round wall-tops. First-floor front room (now sub-divided) at No 23 has plain dado with moulded base and rail; panelled shutters. Second floor is the former garret, boxed out at the front in C19; heavy original roof-trusses plastered over. Right-hand room has wooden chimneypiece, probably original, with moulded architrave, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice. Rear projection at No 23 has 2-panelled door with strap-hinges, probably C18, on second floor. No 21 not inspected. This is a Bideford Bridge Trust property and was probably part of their Bridgeland Street development in the 1690s; the first surviving lease is to Thomas Johns of Bideford, anchor smith, dated 20.8.1707, of a house with a 60ft frontage. (North Devon Record Office: Notes from Bridge Trust leases).

Listing NGR: SS4547926782