81-89, Duke Street

This is a group of commercial premises located on Duke Street, Barrow in Furness, built around 1865. The buildings are constructed with stucco and painted brick, topped with slate roofs. They extend for 3 storeys and consist of 2:2:2:2 bays facing Duke Street, with an angled corner bay on the left side and a 4:2 bay return facing St Vincent Street. The facades are similar but have differing details.

Number 81 has a recessed entrance with a fully glazed shop front, a fascia, and a cornice that wraps around the corner. The first floor features four-pane sashes set within shouldered and eared architraves. The second floor has four-pane sashes, with the corner windows being blind. Numbers 83 and 85 have been remodelled in the 20th century, including alterations to the ground floor; sunken-panelled pilasters flank margin-glazed sashes within architraves, and the first-floor windows have cornices. Number 87 likely retains original features, including a fully glazed shop front with a recessed central door, an overlight featuring the lettering "ESTABLISHED 1868," and windows with basket-arched transom lights, a fascia, and a cornice. The first floor has a sill band below a large, central four-light window with basket-arched lights, set within a shouldered and eared architrave; two later casements are on the second floor. Number 89's facade was remodelled in the 20th century. The first floor has altered four-pane sashes in eared architraves with cornices, while the second floor has four-pane sashes in raised surrounds. A lintel band runs along the second floor, and a moulded eaves cornice is present across the range, although the cornice over Number 89 differs. Brick ridge stacks rise from the party walls, and the building has a hipped roof. Number 81 was illustrated in 1886 when it housed Adam Ainsworth (Almanack) and again circa 1925 as “STUDHOLMES COSTUMIERS.”