Description

Circa 1900. Asymmetrical pair of 2-storey, semi-detached Free Style houses on corner site; 2-bay to Bentinck Drive; 4-bay to St Meddans Street; 3-stage engaged octagonal tower to N corner. Coursed red sandstone; squared and snecked bull-faced rubble plinth; polished sandstone dressings. Raised plinth; architraved string course; architraved cill course at 1st floor; overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Segmental-arched recesses to ground floor openings; basket arched recesses and square-headed openings at 1st floor; sandstone mullions and transoms; chamfered cills at ground. Carved sandstone decoration; boarded timber swept gableheads. Single storey addition at rear.

NE (BENTINCK DRIVE) ELEVATION: full-height, projecting gabled bay to outer left comprising tripartite windows at both floors; stylised foliate frieze above eaves beneath swept gablehead. Single windows at both floors in central bay; round-arched, hoodmoulded entrance (No 2) in re-entrant angle to right; 2-leaf boarded timber door. 3-light canted windows at ground and 1st floors in engaged tower to outer right; blind openings at upper stage with carved detail set between architraved panels.

NW (ST MEDDANS STREET) ELEVATION: 2-leaf boarded timber door set in round-arched, hoodmoulded surround at ground off-set to right of centre; narrow side-light to left; single window at 1st floor. 5-light canted windows at both floors in projecting bay to outer right; stylised foliate frieze beneath swept gablehead above. Bipartite windows at both floors off-set to left of centre; ball-finialed gablehead breaking eaves above. Single windows at both floors in bay to left; engaged tower in bay to outer left.

Predominantly 6- and 8-pane upper, plate glass lower timber sash and case glazing; uPVC replacement glazing at 1st floor to No 12 St Meddans Street. Graded grey slate piended roof; decorative red clay ridge tiles; cast-iron rainwater goods. Graded grey slate octagonal cap to corner tower. Corniced and banded red sandstone wallhead stacks; circular terracotta cans.

INTERIORS: No 2 Bentinck Drive: adapted for use as Bed and Breakfast accommodation. No 12 St Meddans Street: part-glazed timber panelled vestibule door; glazed, timber panelled side-light; replacement fanlights; remainder not seen 1997.

BOUNDARY WALLS: stepped, low coped red sandstone wall enclosing site to front; taller, red brick wall enclosing garden to rear.

Statement of Interest

An impressive, unusually detailed block on a prominent corner site. Despite some replacement glazing, the majority of original features remain intact. Of particular note are the carved foliate bands, the engaged corner tower with its panelled upper stage, the segmental- and basket-arched recesses and the swept gables.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17844244

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

• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)