Princes Buildings

Details

SD5429NW
941-1/10/172

PRESTON
LANCASTER ROAD (East side)
Nos. 50-58 (Even) Princes Buildings

22/01/90

II
Terrace of five shops with dwellings over (Nos. 50 and 52 now in one, and No. 56 subdivided to make two shops). c.1860, altered. Brown brick in stretcher bond, mostly stuccoed, with sandstone dressings and slate roof.

Shallow double-depth plan with back extensions. Classical style. Three storeys with cellars and attics; 1+3+1+3+3 bays (in a composition which implies an originally symmetrical design centred on No. 56 but not fully executed), with giant pilastrading to the upper floors of the three-bay units, a deep frieze and prominent dentilled cornice with blocking course which break back slightly over the one-bay units. At ground floor Nos. 50 to 56 have double-fronted shops with recessed doorways flanked by plate-glass windows with shafts which have stiff-leaf caps, and large segmental overlights (those at Nos. 50 to 54 now covered externally by modern fascia boarding; and the shop front of No. 58 remodelled). At first and second floors the six bays of Nos. 50 and 52 and the three bays of No. 56, breaking forwards slightly and stuccoed, have giant pilasters, interrupted string courses, and four-pane sashed windows (these features carried round the right-hand return of No .50); Nos. 54 and 58, each of one wide bay, have tripartite sashed windows on both floors, those at first floor with pedimented tetrastyle architraves which have large foliated consoles, and those above with shouldered stucco surrounds. Nos. 50 and 58 have small gableted dormers, Nos. 52 to 56 have low flat-roofed 12-light dormers; all have large multiple-flue chimney stacks with moulded stone cornices. The right-hand return wall of No. 50, five bays, the upper floors matching the front, has in the centre of the ground floor a doorway with banded surround, panelled door with small dentilled upstand on the lintel, and square overlight with diagonal glazing bars; to right of this, a cornice with consoles beneath the pilasters of the upper floors (suggesting that front formerly had similar feature).

Rear: two-storey extensions, mostly of shallow lean-to form; apparently unaltered windows, mostly 12-pane sashes with crown glass panes.

INTERIOR: No. 56 has a dog-legged staircase from ground floor to attic, with stick balusters and wreathed handrail; on the upper floors almost intact domestic accommodation including first-floor drawing room (now showroom) which has pilasters with entablature, deep moulded plaster ceiling cornice, and elliptical-arched alcove with moulded surround; room above this with similar alcove containing built-in cupboard, and fireplace with panelled surround; various other original fireplaces. Upper floors of other shops retain similar features in whole or part.

With No. 60 (Golden Cross Hotel) attached at north end, forms block having strong group value with Town Hall (qv) and Amounderness House (qv) opposite, and visual similarity to Nos.12 to 24 to the south.


Listing NGR: SD5408329520

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

392057

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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