Hertford Post Office

Details

HERTFORD

TL3212NE FORE STREET
817-1/17/80 (South side)
Nos.84 AND 86
Hertford Post Office

GV II

Post office. 1890. Architect H Johnson, Contractor H Norris.
Orange brick front with limestone (Monk's Path Bath stone)
dressings and decorative features. Rear outshut of yellow
brick with red brick dressings. Welsh slated roof with central
gabled panel, and cupola at left, ridge with ornamental iron
railings between two turned wood finial posts, gabled roof
over rear outshut.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 3-bay front with narrow half-width entry
bay at left, central bay breaks forward above ground level.
First floor has 7 elliptical-headed recessed sash windows,
single window at left, remainder paired with antae between.
Flanking pilasters with modified Corinthian capitals,
elliptical rubbed brick arches with dripmoulds, entablature
with carved swag frieze at second-floor level, and panelled
frieze below sill level. Second floor has continuous arcade
with Ionic colonnettes with semicircular arches above;
pilasters at bay divisions with foliated caps, and frieze and
moulded stone urns above pilasters. Central bay has gable with
central carved panel, pilaster surround and curved gable;
cupola at left, red brick pilasters with stone bands, 4 arched
openings, and cornice with inverted consoles above, attic with
4 small arched openings, and curved hipped stone cap.
Ground floor has former doorway at left, with stone architrave
surround, 2-light fanlight with central colonnette, and
segmental stone pediments; bays are separated by brick
pilaster with stone bands and Tuscan caps. 2 recessed mullion
and transom windows with elliptical heads, elliptical arches
with alternating rubbed brick and stone voussoirs and
projecting keyblocks. At right is similar arch opening to
twitchell which runs alongside rear outshut. This is simply
treated with sash windows with divided glazing, beneath red
rubbed brick flat arches.
Long single storey continuation of outshut, and late C20
flat-roofed extensions, the latter of no special interest.
INTERIOR: much altered and opened out.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Hertford Post Office occupies the site of The
Chequer Inn, and Chequers Yard, congested, whose residents
were badly affected by cholera in 1849. The site passed to the
ownership of Hertford Poor Estate Charity, who decided to


redevelop it with the new Post Office, at a cost of »2000,
which was then let to the Government Postmaster General for
»120 per annum, and sold to the General Post Office after 21
years. The original entrance was from Fore Street, with the
sorting office in the outshut behind, and a telephone exchange
on the first floor.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Hertfordshire:
Harmondsworth: 1977-: 190; Green L: Hertford's Past in
pictures: Ware: 1993-: 15, 67).



Listing NGR: TL3277812599

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

461326

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977), 190
Green, L, Hertfords Past in Pictures, (1993), 15 67

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