Numbers 5 And 6 And Attached Railings

Numbers 5 and 6, and attached railings are a house, possibly originally two separate houses, now operating as a restaurant. The building dates from approximately 1776 to 1799, with later additions and alterations including work in the 1850s, late 20th century shop fronts, and skylight windows added in the 1980s. The construction is stucco over brick, with an artificial slate roof, a brick stack at the right end, and iron railings.

The house is three storeys high, with a basement, and has two windows on the first floor. The first floor features two canted bay windows, with 6/6 sashes over 2/2 sashes. The bay window on the right extends from the ground floor. The second floor has two 4/4 sashes in plain reveals with sills. The ground floor has steps leading to two central entrances – a partially glazed door to the left and a six-panel door, the upper four panels glazed, to the right. A tall canted bay with multi-pane glazing and a frieze is located to the left, and another, similarly adorned, to the right. Fluted pilasters with fleurons decorate the entrances and the left-hand portion of the front. The basement on the right has double doors, partially glazed. The right gable end is raised and coped, featuring a kneeler.

The interior remains uninspected.

The railings to the sides of the steps have stick balusters and a wreathed handrail; the area railings have been replaced.

Historically, in 1835, HS Merrett, an architect and surveyor to the Pittville Estate (1835-6), resided at Number 6. Well Walk, originally known as Old Well Walk in the 19th century, was laid out in 1743 by Andrews, the town surveyor, following designs by Norborne Berkeley. It was intended as a long avenue of elms, extending for over 900 yards past Henry Skillicorne’s original Pump Room and Well to Bayshill Road. This walkway, and the 18th-century houses along it, represent an important survival of the 18th-century spa town development and provides a prominent entranceway to the Parish Church of St Mary, Church Street. The building forms a group with Number 7 Well Walk and Bank House, located at 45 and 47 Clarence Street.