house

Terraced four-storey house over exposed basement, built c.1800, as one of three similar houses, and having three-bay ground floor and two-bay upper floors. Now vacant. M-profile slate roof, hipped to south with terracotta ridge tiles and set behind rebuilt parapet wall with granite coping. Shared stepped red brick chimneystack with clay pots to north party wall and tall rendered chimneystack abutting rear elevation. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond on granite plinth course, smooth rendered to basement and rear. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings with patent rendered reveals, granite sills and replacement hardwood windows. Wrought-iron balconettes to first floor windows and two slender window openings to ground floor with steel roller shutters. Gauged brick round-headed door opening with flush rendered surround and painted sandstone Ionic doorcase. Replacement hardwood door flanked by engaged Ionic columns on plinth bases supporting fluted lintel cornice and plain glazed fanlight over. Door opens onto granite platform and three granite steps, bridging basement and enclosed by original wrought-iron railings on concrete plinth wall with cast-iron corner post. Railings return to enclose basement area with matching iron gate and steel steps giving access.

This house was built as one of three on a previously longer terrace lining the east side of Frederick Street North. The street was laid out in 1795 by Thomas Sherrard for the Wide Street Commissioners, and this terrace once faced onto a small urban space originally known as The Barley Fields. This house maintains its original aspect and front boundary position, in a street where many adjoining buildings have lost them to retail use and a wider pavement. The fine doorcase forms a strong decorative focus to the building.