Summary
A building constructed during the early-C19, probably for residential use, in exposed red brick, later converted to shop use across the ground floor during the C20 and partially returned to residential use above in the C21.
History
Newark appears as Newerche in the 1086 Domesday Book. It’s original name Niweweorche (meaning 'New work') is likely associated with the meaning "New fort". The site of Newark Castle was founded by Robert Bloet, Bishop of Lincoln in 1073 and rebuilt in stone from 1123 - 1133. A bridge over the Trent was built under charter from Henry I at a similar time. In the C15 and C16, Newark became a prosperous market town centred on the wool and cloth trade and characterised by a dense street pattern surrounding the market square. It was incorporated by the Crown in 1549. Significant development occurred during the C18 in response to growing trade along the Great North Road: with a number of handsome terraced Georgian buildings evident from this time. In 1775 a new bridge over the River Trent was constructed, it was further improved in 1848 and forms the current ‘Trent Bridge’. The Market Place was rebuilt in the C18 with coaching inns; the houses of leading citizens and the splendid new Town Hall (1773) by John Carr. By 1801 Newark had a population of 6,730 and was Nottinghamshire’s second town.
‘Gate’ is a Saxon word for street or way and this reflects Carter Gate’s early medieval origins as part of the Saxon burgh. As part of the medieval core of the city, the relatively narrow street is densely developed. A distinctive characteristic of the medieval street was buildings arranged around courtyards accessed via gates onto Carter Gate. Some survive with others surviving simply as passages in later buildings now leading to built-up areas behind the primary buildings fronting the street.
13-17 Carter Gate are likely to have originally been built as three separate houses in the early C19, with minor alterations made in the late C19. Further alterations were made in the mid-C20, principally the conversion of the building into retail units with commercial use above. Further alterations in the C21 involved the conversion of the first and second floors of 15-17 back into residential use. The overall form of the building appears to have changed little since construction, with the only substantive alterations including a reconfigured ground-floor front elevation as part of conversion into a shopfront.
Details
A building constructed during the early-C19, probably for residential use, in exposed red brick, later converted to shop use across the ground floor during the C20 and partially returned to residential use above in the C21.
MATERIALS: the façade is finished in exposed, red and charcoal brick in a Flemish bond. The brickwork of number 13 has been painted cream, as have all the window dressings. The off-centre elliptical carriage arch is finished in cream-coloured stone with alternating bands of cream stone and brick on the northern side with plain brick on the southern side. Window frames are all timber.
PLAN: the building is part of a terrace with its principal elevation facing Carter Gate and projections extending to the rear.
EXTERIOR: the building is of three-storeys across eight bays with shop units at ground floor level either side of a carriage arch. Number 13 is of two bays with the top-right (southernmost) window filled in. Number 15 has three window bays with the third (southern) bay set apart. This is mirrored for number 17 where the northernmost bay is distanced from the remaining two with both of these offset bays meeting above the carriage arch. A single, wooden door to the north of number 17 is accessed via two stone steps and provides access to the residential flats above number 15 and number 17, whilst the first and second floors above number 13 are connected to the retail space below. An off-centre carriage arch between numbers 15 and 17 leads to a rear parking area which connects to Balderton Gate. To the rear, a catslide roof extends from number 13 whilst a two storey gable extension extends from number 17. The extension to number 13 retains six-over-six sash windows but shows evidence of windows being blocked with C20 brickwork and glass bricks. A further, windowless, single-storey extension abuts this two-storey gable extension and appears to be a storehouse.
A three-brick stringcourse runs across the entire elevation between first and second floors. There is evidence of the same course running between the ground and first floors, but now concealed behind shopfronts, except for above the carriage arch. The ground floor is occupied with C20, timber-clad shopfronts, broken by the off-centre carriage arch which leads to a rear area connected to Balderton Gate. Close-boarded carriage doors beneath the arch are painted black and are held open. The shopfronts of numbers 13 and 15 have central doors whilst number 17 has a right-hand door.
Above number 13 is a six-over-six, timber-framed sash window at first-floor beside a C19 six-over-six sash timber-framed window; both deeply recessed. A single three-over-six sash window on the second floor sits beside a blind window.
Above number 15 are six-over three, timber-framed sash windows at first-floor and three-over-six, timber-framed sash windows at second-floor level. The first-floor windows have been partially filled in beneath the cills to allow for a larger shopfront architrave. Above number 17 are six-over-one sash windows at first floor and three-over-six sash windows on the second floor. Although the carriageway-arch sits off-centre, an attempt at centrality is established by offsetting the brickwork across the first and second floors, with the southernmost window bay of number 15 and the northernmost window bay of number 17 forming a symmetrical fenestration. The roof is not visible from the street, but from the rear the roof is visible as a slate tile roof with four, brick chimney stacks. The rear of the building is formed of exposed, red brick with no keystones within the arch. The first-floor windows are irregular and varied and all appear to be C20, single-pane casement windows with the exception of a single, six-over-six sash window on the second floor. A window has been filled in with recent brickwork and five glass bricks. A series of C20 extensions to the rear include a two-storey gable extension with pitched, concrete tile roof and single-pane casement windows at first and second floors. To the north, there are further use of glass bricks within the existing building. A catslide extension to number 13 continues the same roof tiles and uses six-over-six sash windows on the southern elevation. A single storey bay extension in C20 brickwork at ground-level is attached to this flank. A further, single-storey C20 building to the rear sits behind number 15, infilling what would have once likely been a courtyard. This is built from exposed red brick, with windows now filled in with timber panels beneath flat arches. Moulded cornices sit beneath a pitched, slate tile roof.
