house

Terraced two-bay four-storey over basement former townhouse, built c. 1810, with two-storey return to rear (west). Now in use as offices. Pitched slate roof to east with irregular M-profile hipped slate roof to rear (west), concealed by brick parapet with granite coping. Shouldered rendered chimneystacks to north party wall with lipped yellow clay pots. Parapet gutters with cast-iron hopper and downpipe to north end. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond over ruled-and-lined rendered walling to basement beneath granite plinth course. Brown brick walling to rear (west) elevation. Square-headed window openings with brick voussoirs, patent reveals and masonry sills. Timber sliding sash windows (possibly original); largely six-over-six, replacements to ground floor with convex horns and three-over-three to third floor also with convex horns. Metal balconettes to first floor (possible steel replacements), cast-iron grille to basement. Round-headed door opening with brick voussoirs, moulded reveals and recessed doorcase comprising fluted frieze and moulded cornice carried on Ionic columns over plinth stops, plain fanlight and raised-and-field timber panelled door with painted furniture. Granite entrance platform with cast-iron boot scrapers, approached by four granite steps flanked by iron railings with decorative cast-iron corner posts over granite plinth enclosing basement to north-side. Coal-hole cover to pavement. Recent brick boundary wall with vehicular opening on Laverty Close.

This former townhouse forms part of a relatively intact imposing early-nineteenth century streetscape. Nos. 37-40 (50930278-75) were built by the Dixons. (Bryan, 2006), Almost all of the western side was completed between c. 1807-15. Laid out in 1791 by the surveyors J & P Roe, Fitzwilliam Square was the last of the city’s Georgian squares to be completed. Development was staggered, progressing slowly due to the French wars. Although largely homogenous in character and form, the subtle variations between terraces are indicative of the speculative nature of the square’s development.