94, 96 AND 98, PROMENADE

Three terraced houses at 94, 96, and 98 Promenade, dating from approximately 1820 to 1840, with later alterations, including conversion to shops likely around 1845 and late 19th and 20th century shop fronts. The construction is ashlar facing brick, with a concealed roof. The houses are two storeys with an attic, featuring three first-floor windows. A central breakforward is a prominent feature. The first floor has paired Doric pilasters at the ends and paired Ionic half-columns highlighting the breakforward, all topped by an entablature. The first floor features 8/8 sash windows where original, and a central 6/6 sash window. The second floor has 2/2 horned sashes. All windows have plain reveals and sills. A crowning entablature and a low parapet complete the exterior. The ground floor shop fronts vary: to the left, a renewed glazed frontage with a glazed side entrance; in the centre, a late Victorian shop front with a plate-glass window containing cylindrical mullions and urn caps, canted into the entrance, featuring a fascia and cornice; and to the right, a similar shop front with curved glass angling to the entrance, a glazed door with margin-lights and an overlight with margin-lights, a carved frieze, fascia, and cornice. The interior was not inspected. The Promenade was created in 1818 as a tree-lined avenue leading toward Sherborne Spa, and the buildings were among the first developments in the area. Originally residential, by 1845, much of the south-east side had transitioned to commercial use.