Nos 16 And 17 And Attached Railings

Two houses, numbers 16 and 17, now used as offices, were built around 1770 to 1800. They are constructed of Flemish-bond brick with stone coping to the parapet, a cornice, stepped voussoirs, cills, a cill band to the first floor, and door cases. The roof is a hipped mansard with C20 pantiles and brick stacks to the right of each house, and to the rear gable end of a rear wing.

The houses have a double-depth plan and a long, single-storey wing dating to the early 19th century, extending to the rear right of number 17, creating an L-shaped layout. They are three storeys with attics and basements, and each house originally had a three-window front. The windows were originally 6/6-pane sashes (with 6/9 panes to the first floor), many of the lower sashes now include plate glass. The right return of number 16 shows unfinished brickwork to the quoins, indicating an incomplete row.

Each house has a double door with three raised-and-fielded panels, a reeded lintel, and an ornamental fanlight. The doorcase features reeded pilasters, imposts, an archivolt, and a keystone. The rear of the houses has a 3/6-pane sash window to a dormer, and flat-gauged brick arches above all rear windows that correspond to those on the front facade. Number 17, to the left, is similar to the King Square facade. However, the entrance is in the left return, which features flat-gauged brick arches to blind windows on all floors to the right, and sash windows above double doors set forward in a shallow Tuscan-style porch. To the left of the door is an early or mid-19th century 8/8-pane sash window. Three similar sashes are found in the single-storey rear wing, where the doorway is situated to the right of the centre and includes an overlight and a flight of steps to reach the higher pavement level of King Square. The rear of the main block has a dormer similar to that of number 16, and 8/8-pane sash windows.

Spearhead railings with urn finials run in front of both basement areas and curve up to flank the door of number 16, which is accompanied by a 19th-century bootscraper to the right. The buildings are part of a fine late Georgian square built on the site of Bridgwater Castle. The interior of the houses has not been inspected.