house

End-of-terrace two-bay four-storey former townhouse over basement, dated 1828, built as part of a terrace of five (50930001-5). Two-storey return over basement abuts to north-side of rear (east) elevation. Later in use as flats, now in use as a house. M-profiled pitched roof with shouldered rendered chimneystack having buff brick to upper portion with lipped yellow clay pots to south party wall. Concealed rainwater goods. Buff brick walling laid in Flemish bond, with rusticated granite quoins to north, granite plinth course over channel-rusticated painted and rendered walls to basement. Granite quoin inscribed ‘SMITH’S BUILDINGS 1828’. Square-headed window openings with replacement masonry sills, patent reveals and brick voussoirs. Largely six-over-six timber sliding sash windows with horns, three-over-three to third floor and ten-over-ten to basement with steel grille. First floor windows contain historic glass and have iron balconettes affixed. Round-headed door opening with sandstone doorcase comprising moulded linings, prostyle Ionic columns on plinths with egg-and-dart moulding to capitals, rising to moulded cornice over panelled frieze with decorative iron fanlight and raised-and-field timber panelled door. Granite entrance platform with four nosed granite steps to street flanked by cast-iron railings with arrow finials and decorative corner posts over granite plinth enclosing basement well to south. Square-headed plainly detailed door opening beneath entrance platform with replacement timber door. Mild-steel steps to basement well. Street fronted on the eastern side of Ely Place Upper. Rear yard bound by north return and rendered wall.

Ely Place Upper, which occupies the southern end of the street, comprises a terrace of five former townhouses originally named ‘Smith’s Buildings’, as engraved on a quoin of the property. Characterised by well-balanced proportions, Adamesque doorcases and decorative fanlights, this former houses is part of a well maintained terrace. Originally named Hume Row, Ely Place was laid out in 1768, and was named after the surgeon Gustavus Hume who built his house at No. 1 Hume Street (now demolished). With the construction of Ely House (50930012) in 1770, Ely Place developed as a desirable residential street throughout the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries.