The Chimes

MORETONHAMPSTEAD FORE STREET (south side), SX 7586 Moretonhampstead 8/153 No. 18 The Chimes - GV II

House, originally the police house before police station opposite was built in circa 1863. Circa 1845, probably soon after the 1845 fire in Fore Street. Stuccoed, probably granite rubble. Pyramidal slate roof bitumen coated and with lead rolls to hips. Deep eaves with boarded soffits, moulded cornice and moulded cast iron gutter. 2 chimney stacks with rendered shafts, one rising from rear of left-hand roof slope and the other on right-hand of rear slope. Double depth plan with 2 principal front rooms, one on either side of central lobby entrance formed by stairs in central passage and smaller rear rooms in overall square plan. The left-hand front room was probably the police station leading to a small cell in room behind. The right-hand front room was a livingroom with a kitchen behind. Above the ground storey cell there is another cell. 2 storeys. Symmetrical 3-bay north front. Original 12-pane sashes in deep reveals, centre first floor narrow window opening with C19 8-pane casement. Central doorway with round-headed opening with plain wide raised architrave, semi- circular fanlight with spiders-web glazing bars, the round central pane has stained glass. Original 4-panel door with flush bottom panels. Left (east) return side: 1 original 12-pane sash on each floor to right lighting front rooms; left-hand wall unfenestrated. Rear (south) elevation: asymmetrical fenestration, first floor with 2 original 9- pane sashes and small 2-pane pivot window (former cell window) to right. Ground floor: top opening light window (enlarged former cell window) to right, original small 19-pane sash to left of centre, and plank door to left with small 2-pane pivot window above to left. The west side is unfenestrated and abuts No. 16 (q.v.). Interior: the plan is intact and it retains most of the original features including panelled doors, straight stairs with simple balustrade at top with stick balusters. The ground floor cell has a stone slab ceiling and the first floor cell retains its heavy door and barred opening. The fireplaces in the front rooms have been opened up recently (1985) and C20 chimneypieces installed. The rear kitchen fireplace also opened. This is an almost entirely complete mid C19 police house.

Listing NGR: SX7543286076