Shop and Adjoining Public Convenience

Details

SD 5192,
338-0/ 0/10000

KENDAL,
POLICE YARD (YARD 31) (west side),
No. 2, shop and adjoining public conveniences

(Formerly listed as: No. 2, Strickland House and adjoining public conveniences)

GV

II*

Town House, or perhaps rear wing of town house (nos. 27 and 29
Market Place (q.v.), now part store and retail office (unoccupied
at time of inspection 1991) and part public conveniences with
offices over (partially occupied). Probably late C17, remodelled
in earlier C18, subdivided by mid C19 and altered in C20.
Slobbered random rubble, graduated slate roof. Single-depth plan
on north-south axis parallel to yard and at right angles to rear
of nos. 27 and 29 Market Place, laterally sub-divided in the
centre, with stair turret and lean-to extension to the rear of
southern portion. Three storeys over basement, formerly eleven
windows in closely spaced groups of six to left and five to right
(many blocked in the C18 and others altered). The south (left)
end has an exposed basement (used as a lock-up in C19) which has
a small window and a square headed doorway with a board door.
At ground floor the southern portion has a doorway in the 4th bay
with a panelled reveal recessed C20 door, approached by dog-legged steps with iron railings, to the left of this a 12-pane
un-horned sash window with exposed box flanked by blocked windows,
all these openings under a continuous timber lintel made of a re-
used beam, and to the right a large rectangular C20 window; the
northern portion has C20 openings of the public conveniences. At
first floor of the southern portion the first three windows and the
fifth are blocked, the 4th and 6th are wooden cross-windows each
with one casement opening, and a continuous timber lintel crosses
all these windows; the northern portion has a blocked window with
a similar timber lintel run out to the right, then C20 toilet
windows and two tie-plates above them. At 2nd floor the first three
windows of the southern portion are blocked, the 4th and 6th are
wooden cross windows (the 4th fixed) and the 5th has altered
joinery; the northern portion has four windows, the first and third
being wooden cross windows, the 4th a 6-light window with similar
joinery, and the 2nd is blocked; and a timber wall plate forms the
lintel to all the windows of both portions. Windows which are not
blocked mostly have stone slate sills. Ridge chimney in centre
and gable chimney to left. The south gable wall has two windows on
each floor: those to the basement are altered C19 insertions, the
others are top-hung casements in original openings with stone
slate sills; that to the left at ground floor and both at 1st
floor level have crude stone slate cornices, and those at 2nd
floor level have stone lintels and remains of a continuous slate
cornice; the added lean-to to the left has steps up to a recessed
panelled door with an overlight. The rear (west side) of the
southern portion has a gabled full-height stair turret with
quoins, one window with a flat arched head and another above
with stone slate sill and cornice, but it is otherwise blind
(northern portion concealed by adjoining buildings).

INTERIOR:
(southern portion): ground and 1st floors formerly partitioned
to make two rooms, with corridor on west side of the first floor,
but partitions have been removed. At ground floor C18 panelling
survives only on the east side and south end of the south room,
but at first floor it is complete (except for one of the
partitions): raised fielded panels with moulded surrounds, dado
rail, and cupboards built into two former window openings on both
floors, these at ground floor round-headed and open fronted with
pilastered architraves and dentilled cornices, and those at
first floor with panelled doors on H-hinges; and moulded plaster
cornices carried round, with entablatures of former pilasters
over fireplaces. The 2nd floor is partitioned into three rooms with
plain plastered walls and partitioned. Fireplace at south end of
ground floor with shouldered surround and Adam style frieze, and
fireplaces at both ends of upper floors with bolection-moulded
surrounds, those at north and containing (respectively) an
ornamented Victorian grate and Georgian ducks nest hob grate.
Casement openings at 1st and 2nd floors furnished with unusual
coupled latches. Stair turret contains fine half turn staircase
with moulded string and handrail, barley sugar balusters and
square newels with pendents. Former lock up has stone bench on
two sides with manacle rings; large cellar under main room,
approached by steps below staircase, has chamfered beam.

[Northern portion altered at ground and 1st floors, 2nd floor
inaccessible at time of inspection but was previously recorded
as having roof of re-used timbers assembled into A-trusses and
numbered "IIII" (the northernmost) and "V": suggesting
continuation of series from nos. 27 and 29 Market Place].

A locally rare survival of late C17 / early C18 town house;
historical interest enhanced by having served as Kendal's first
Police Station. Forms group with nos 27 and 29 Market Place and
with no. 28, Finkle Street (q.v.).


Listing NGR: SD5158792765

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

75529

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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