house

Terraced two-bay three-storey house over exposed basement, built 1807-8, with three-storey gabled return. Now in multiple occupancy. M-profile slate roof behind parapet wall with granite coping. Stepped chimneystacks to both party walls with clay pots, brick to north, rendered to south. Yellow brick walls laid in Flemish bond on painted granite plinth course above ruled-and-lined rendered basement wall. Yellow brick walls laid in English garden wall bond to rear elevation. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings with painted reveals, painted granite sills and original six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to upper floors, one-over-one pane to ground floor and replacement uPVC to rear. Cast-iron balconettes to first floor windows. Gauged brick three-centred arched door opening with moulded masonry surround and painted masonry Ionic doorcase, and having original flat-panelled timber door flanked by engaged Ionic columns on plinth bases supporting panelled lintel cornice with wreath motifs and plain glazed fanlight over. Door opens onto granite platform and three granite steps bridging basement area. Platform and basement area enclosed by original wrought-iron railings on moulded granite plinth wall with matching gate and concrete steps giving access to basement. Concrete block wall and steel gate to rear site onto Fitzgibbon Lane.

This townhouse is part of a terrace of six houses built by William Saunders (1759-1808) at the north end a street laid out and named after the Earl of Belvedere in 1795: the terrace was later extended to the south by six more townhouses in an identical style. The two groupings of six townhouses employ the same external details resulting in a remarkably coherent streetscape. The elegant doorcase and the ornamental balconettes provide visual interest to the townhouse while the timber sash windows contribute significantly to its character.