1-9, The Crescent

A row of nine houses, now eight shops with offices above, was built in the early 19th century in two distinct phases, with later alterations. The houses are constructed of Flemish bond brickwork, with the earliest section featuring V-jointed quoins, some of which are painted. They have a graduated greenslate roof and original brick chimney stacks. The buildings are divided into two phases: six houses separated by quoins, and a later group of three houses. They comprise three storeys and two bays each, although those with through archways have three bays, creating a continuous crescent. The first phase features a central archway within a quoined surround. Modern shop fronts occupy the ground floor. Sash windows with painted stone surrounds are situated above, along with smaller attic windows. The second phase was designed to match the first, but lacks quoins and includes a right-hand archway with brick reveals. Interior details were not inspected. Historical records reveal that a tour of the city in approximately 1820 mentioned the Crescent’s houses. John Wood’s Map of Carlisle (1821) shows the first phase complete. Newspaper references suggest the second phase may have been under construction in 1824. An 1870s photograph indicates the second phase originally had only two storeys, which were subsequently raised to three by 1899. A photograph from 1899, reproduced by Perriam, shows the buildings when they were private houses.