Summary
Pair of two-storey cottages and attached single-storey cottage, early C19. Coursed hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressings, artificial-stone slate roof coverings to nos. 14 & 16, sandstone-slate roof coverings to no. 20.
Reasons for Designation
14-20 Sugden Place are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: the cottages retain their overall form and vernacular character, and their origins as workers' cottages remain clearly readable in the physical fabric;
* Date: they date to the early C19 at the beginning of a building boom that transformed the built landscape of Bradford and are an important survival of vernacular buildings before the construction of standardised terraces and back-to-backs in the latter part of the century;
* Survival: despite some later alteration they retain a number of original features, including the majority of window mullions, ashlar dressings, stone stairs, some original floorings and at least one fire surround;
* Group value: they form part of an important group of Grade II-listed buildings, including 30-34 Beck Hill, 6-12 Beck Hill, 67 Beck Hill, and 69 Beck Hill that together form an identifiable group of early C19 workers' cottages.
History
14-20 Sugden Place are believed to have been constructed in the early C19 as a pair of cottages (nos. 14 & 16) and an attached single-storey cottage (no. 20). The single-storey cottage was originally two dwellings, but was converted into a single house in the late C20.
Beck Hill is believed to have its origins in the late C18/early C19 when cottages were built to house workers from the nearby Shelf Ironworks, which was founded in 1786.
Details
Pair of two-storey cottages and an attached single-storey cottage, early C19. Coursed hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressings, artificial-stone slate roof coverings to nos. 14 & 16, sandstone-slate roof coverings to no. 20.
PLAN: nos. 14-20 Sugden Place form a linear range aligned NE-SW with no. 14 at the NE end, no. 16 to the middle and no. 20 to the SW end. They are located in a fold arrangement of buildings in a yard to the rear of nos. 6-12 Beck Hill and nos. 30-34 Beck Hill, all of which are listed at Grade II.
EXTERIOR: nos. 14 and 16 are of two-storeys and no. 20 is a single-storey cottage. All three properties have modern strap-pointing.
Nos. 14 & 16: both nos. 14 & 16 are of two-bays and form a mirrored pair to the front (SE) elevation with a doorway to the ground floor of the inner bay and windows to the outside bay and first floor. Small later bathroom windows with ashlar surrounds have been inserted to the first floor above the doorways. Both houses have replaced glazing; that to no. 14 consists of uPVC casements, whilst that to no. 16 consists of early C21 timber sashes. In the 1983 List description both houses are recorded as having two-light mullioned windows and plain doorways in flush stone surrounds. The doorways and their surrounds survive with replaced doors; that to no. 14 is of uPVC with a modern gableted hood over the door, whilst that to no. 16 is a modern timber door with a large diamond-shaped glazed panel. The mullions have been removed to the windows of no. 14 on this elevation. On the rear (NW) elevation no. 14 is treated with faded whitewash. A two-light mullioned window survives to the first floor; a corresponding ground-floor window has been partly blocked up and reduced in size, a ventilation grille inserted into the blocked-up section, and a metal grille added in front. No. 16 also retains its two-light mullioned window to the first floor; its corresponding ground-floor window has been converted into a doorway with a sidelight. All the windows retain their original surrounds. In the original 1983 List description nos. 14 & 16 are recorded as having a stone-slate roof with coped gable ends; the roof coverings have since been replaced in artificial stone slate and the copings removed. A low brick ridge stack exists to the NE end (no. 14) and a sandstone ridge stack exists to the SW end (no. 16).
No. 20: no. 20 was originally a pair of cottages known as nos. 18 & 20 Sugden Place, but they were converted into a single dwelling in the late C20. All the windows have replaced glazing, but retain their original surrounds. Originally there were two doorways to the centre of the front (SE) elevation flanked by three-light mullioned windows to the two outer bays; the former doorway to no. 18 has since been converted into a window with a modern sandstone surround. The doorway to no. 20, which now forms the sole entrance to the building, has a modern uPVC door, but retains its original surround. A single-light window exists to the SW gable end, with two windows to the rear (NW) elevation. Part of the rear wall has been rendered. A short brick chimneystack exists to the SW end of the roof's ridge.
INTERIOR:
No. 14: internally both no. 14 and no.16 would have originally had one room to each floor. No. 14 retains a single room to the ground floor with a low breakfast-bar style pine counter dividing the space into two with a lounge in the front part and a kitchenette to the rear with a laminate floor covering. The chimneybreast survives and is flanked by varnished ceiling beams that run across the room. A modern gas fire and surround have been inserted. An enclosed stone winder stair is aligned with the entrance and has a modern six-panel pine door at the foot of the stair; the stair's treads are hidden by a modern carpet covering. An under-stair cupboard has a modern louvred door. The first floor has been partitioned to create two bedrooms, a bathroom and a small landing area. In the front bedroom the chimneybreast has partly exposed stonework and an ashlar fire surround is visible; the fireplace opening itself has been blocked up.
No. 16: internally both the ground floor and first floor of no. 16 have since been partitioned. The ground-floor lounge has a modern partition with an arched opening, which has been inserted to create a separate kitchen at the rear of the cottage. The chimneybreast survives and a late-C20 gas fire and surround have been inserted. A painted ceiling beam runs across the room to the left of the chimneybreast; that to the right has been removed due to the inserted partition. A stone winder stair is aligned with the entrance; the treads are hidden by modern carpet covering, but are visible in an under-stair area, which has a stone-flag floor. The flooring on the ground floor (apart from the under-stair area) is hidden by modern carpet and linoleum, but possibly has stone flags underneath. The first floor has been partitioned to create two bedrooms, a bathroom and a small landing area. The landing has a ceiling hatch that provides access to the roofspace, which is used as a storage space. The roof is composed of machined timbers, including side purlins and rafters, and has a single truss comprised of a Queen-post frame supporting the two principal rafters. A stone chimneybreast is visible at the SW gable end of the roofspace.
No. 20: originally there was probably a single room to each interior of nos. 18 & 20; that to the SW end (the original no. 20) remains as a single space (now used as a lounge), although a low brick wall has been inserted towards the rear to create a separate kitchen area, and a vestibule created inside the entrance. A chimneybreast survives and has a modern gas fire and brick surround that is a continuation of the kitchen wall. Modern partitions have been inserted in the NE half of the interior (the original no. 18) to create two bedrooms, a bathroom and a hallway. A substantial ceiling beam running the full depth of the building is visible in the lounge and is most probably the tie beam of a roof truss above. A corresponding beam is visible in one of the bedrooms and has been boxed in.
