53-3a King Street

This building is a pair of commercial premises with two shops, closely resembling the adjacent property at number 52. It dates to the 18th century and is constructed of painted stucco, with a plain eaves cornice and a flat or low-pitched slate roof. A red brick chimney is visible on the left side, against the wall of the neighbouring building at number 54, although the stack on the right has been truncated. The building has three storeys and four bays. The second-floor windows are four-pane hornless sash windows, with one window featuring plate glass. The first floor has smaller cross-windows. The shop fronts are housed in early 20th-century casings; a shop window on the right was added in the late 20th century, while the shop front on the left has plate glass to the left of a recessed shop door and a house door. This shop front features thin column shafts and small spandrel brackets, alongside doors with overlights. The doors are finished with pilasters and large brackets framing a deep fascia with an awning box above. The brackets are capped with half-round detailing. At the rear, a broad gable incorporates four-pane stair lights.

The interiors of the shops have been altered. A particularly fine 18th-century staircase, likely dating from the earlier to mid-18th century, runs from the cellar to the attic at the rear. It has large turned balusters, square panelled newels and a closed pulvinated string. Some dado panelling extends from the ground floor down to the cellar. The staircase rises in six flights. The building is said to have had massive roof trusses, and a half truss is visible at the top of the rear stair gable, along with one purlin. A single four-panel fielded-panelled door is located on the first floor.