3-9, Chandos Street

This is a terrace of four houses at 3-9 Chandos Street, Bridgwater, built in the early 18th century. They were commissioned by the Duke of Chandos as part of his development along Castle Street, incorporating the line of the old castle wall. The houses are constructed of Flemish-bond brick, with double-pitch pantile roofs and brick stacks to the right. Each house has a double-depth plan with a room facing the street. Originally, each house had a two-window front, but numbers 3, 5, and 7 have been reduced to a single window, with blocked windows above the doors to the left. Second-floor windows, originally featuring 3/6-pane sashes, are still present at numbers 3 and 7; the other windows have segmental brick arches over 6/6-pane sashes, with those at number 9 in forward frames. Steps lead up to six-panel doors, each sheltered by a mid-18th-century hood with various supports. The interiors, which have not been inspected, are said to contain original 18th-century features, including doors, fireplaces, and a turned-baluster staircase. These houses represent a rare example of a terrace row of artisan houses dating from this period.