Description

YORK

SE6051NE FOSSGATE
1112-1/17/346 (South West side)
14/06/54 Nos.52, 53 AND 54
The Blue Bell (No.53)

GV II*

Two shops and public house. No.54 incorporated into same
ownership as Nos 55 and 56 (qv). Nos 53 and 54 mid C17; No.52
probably added when jettied fronts to Nos 53 and 54 cut back
and refronted in late C18. No.52 remodelled in C20; No.53
refitted in late C19; ground floor of No.54 refitted c1932.
MATERIALS: Nos 53 and 54 timber-framed. All three properties
fronted in pink-grey mottled brick in Flemish bond, with
timber dentil and console cornice; timber shopfronts, ground
floor of No.53 infilled with glazed brick. Rear of No.52 in
orange mottled brick in English garden-wall variant. Ground
and first floors of Nos 53 and 54 underbuilt in brick beneath
jettied second floors and attics; second floors rendered,
probably over original infilling; attic infilling of red brick
in random bond. Roofs of Nos 52 and 54 of pantile, No.53 of
slate; Nos 53 and 54 are parallel and gabled at front and
back, front gables set back behind later hipped roof; two
brick stacks in valley. Original plan of Nos 53 and 54 5 bays
of timber-framing, with central staircase and stack.
EXTERIOR: 3-storey 5-window front. Shopfronts framed in
panelled and fluted pilasters beneath moulded dentilled
cornice between grooved consoles capped with segmental
gablets. No.52 has plate glass windows on each side of
recessed glazed panelled door: ground floor of No.53 has
6-panel door and overlight to left of fixed light window of
embossed glass incorporating the name BLUE BELL together with
a bell: shopfront to No.54 continuous with Nos 55 and 56, and
has plate glass window framed in chrome over marble veneer
riser and bevelled glass door with overlight. On first floor,
No.52 has two 2-light casement windows, No.53 one 4-pane sash,
No.54 two 16-pane sashes; on second floor Nos 52 and 54 have
unequal 12-pane sashes, No.53 one 4-pane sash: all have
painted wedge lintels or flat arches, and all except those on
first floor of No.54 painted stone sills. Rear: 3 storeys and
attic: No.52 set back from jettied fronts of Nos 53 and 54.
Ground floors obscured by outbuildings. Upper floors to No.52
have sash windows with cambered brick arches: Nos 53 and 54
have 4-pane sashes on first floor and, on second floor,
tripled 1-pane sashes to No.53, paired 12-pane sashes to
No.54. Posts with jowled heads, bressumers and wall plates
exposed on first and second floors of Nos 53 and 54: vestigial
framing survives in gabled attics, with blocked window to
No.53. In return wall of No.54 with No.55, a length of
plastered walling with studs and curved brace is visible.
INTERIOR: No.52 not inspected. No.53: ground floor only

inspected. Pub is Bar and Smoke Room plan with passage lobby.
Panelled doors are part glazed with embossed glass
incorporating bar names. Lobby, Bar and Smoke Room are board
panelled throughout, including ceilings of both bars. Passage
serving hatch alcove fitted with folding seats. Bar has
original panelled counter with gate and glazed back fittings,
serving hatch to lobby passage, and curtained service door to
Smoke Room: also fitted benches, fireplace with moulded
surround, carved frieze and moulded cornice shelf, and ceiling
cornice. Smoke Room has fitted benches, and fireplace with Art
Nouveau decoration.
No.54: shop fittings c1932 survive on ground floor. Elements
of timber-framing exposed on upper floors, including wall
posts with tapered heads, wall plates and beams. Original
infilling probably survives in rear and end walls on second
floor. Quarter turn staircase with largely original treads
rises from first floor to attic with close string, column on
vase balusters and flat moulded handrail, ramped-up steeply to
square newels. On first floor, door to front room is of 4
raised and fielded panels on L-hinges. On second floor,
fireplace said to remain behind fitted shelving in front room:
original floor boards to landing and front room. Attic has
gypsum plaster floors in both rooms and original boards to
landing. Renewed roof of principal rafter trusses, with
truncated brick stack in back room.
'The Blue Bell' has the last C19 pub interior in York to
survive intact, and until 1993 was in continuous occupancy by
the same family from the end of C19.
(City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 134).

Listing NGR: SE6051751793

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Blue Bell at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17549920

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)