Details
CHESTER CITY (IM)
SJ4066SW NICHOLAS STREET
595-1/3/267 (West side)
28/07/55 Nos.10-28 (Even)
and steps, railings & lamp-holder
(Formerly Listed as:
NICHOLAS STREET
(West side)
Nos 4-12 (even), No 14 & Nos 16-28
(even)
GV II
Terrace formerly of 10 town houses now offices, sauna, social club and surgeries. Nos 10-22 1780 by Joseph Turner of Chester, Nos 24, 26 & 28 of 2 builds 1781 and early 1780s and No.28 extended south c1830; rear alterations C19 and C20. Brown brick in Flemish bond to front and with pale headers to both parts of No.28; grey slate roof. The design is uniform except for the extension to No.28.
EXTERIOR: basement, which runs out to ground level at rear, and 3 storeys; 3 windows to second and third storeys of each house.
Rendered basements behind short deep areas have external steps with upper quadrant of winders and plain wrought-iron rails, derelict to No.10, of stone to Nos 12, 14, 16, 18 and 22 and cast-iron to No.20; doors not clearly visible and 2 recessed basement sashes, of 5 panels and 9 panes to No.10, 4 panels and 9 panes to Nos 12 & 14, replaced framed and battened door and 2-pane sashes to No.16, porch under first storey steps, inserted small-pane glazed door and a 6-pane sash to No.18, 5-panel door and three 5-pane sashes to No.20, porch, altered part-glazed door and two 6-pane sashes to No.22, a 4-panel door and two 9-pane sashes to No.24, two blocked sash-openings and a 4-panel door to No.26, which is handed in relation to No.24, and two 9-pane sashes to No.28.
Wrought-iron rails to stone steps to entrances and, on stone plinths, to fronts of areas have square balusters shaped above the top rail; wrought-iron arch and lamp-holder over steps to No.20. The front doors of 5 fielded panels with overlights and sidelights in cases with panelled pilasters, friezes and moulded pedimented cornices look c1830: the overlights of Nos 10-18 glazed as if ornate radial-bar fanlights, probably of cast-iron; No.20 has a plain overlight; No.22 one of 3 panes, Nos 24 & 26 ones of leaded stained glass and No.28 one with margin panes and diagonal bars; Nos 10-18, 22, 26 and 28 have 4-pane sidelights, No.20 has 2 stained glass panes, No.22 leaded stained glass, No.24 leaded stained glass and Nos 26 & 28 stained glass. The first storey recessed sashes, formerly all of 12 panes, are now of 4 panes to Nos 16 & 18, 4 panes with moulded bars and round-arched upper panes to No.22, 2 panes to Nos 22, 24 & 26; sillband. The second storey has a sillband and 12-pane sashes with glazing bars removed from lower leaves of No.12, altered to 4 panes in No.20 and 2 panes in No.20. The third storey has painted stone sills and 9-pane sashes, 2 converted to 2 panes in No.18, two to dual 2-pane sashes with round-arched upper panes to No.20, one to a plain dual 2-pane sash to No.22, one to a 9-pane hopper to No.24. Fluted frieze, moulded cornice and low parapet of stone, all painted; 2 chimneys to south end of each house, some altered; rainwater heads and pipes generally of cast-iron.
The 2-storey south extension of No.28, c1830, is of thicker bricks with a continuous vertical joint; the doorcase, probably re-positioned, overlaps the junction, with a recessed 12-pane sash in the newer wing, above. The south bay, projecting forward to back of pavement, has a blank basement storey, sillbands and 2 recessed 12-pane sashes with slightly cambered painted gauged-brick heads to each of the first and second storeys; boldly projecting cornice; a central chimney flush with the facade has shaped painted stone plinth and 4 separated square brick flues. A large post-war flat-roofed rear extension is of no interest.
The rear has numerous alterations but retains a proportion of the original sashes. Features include a canted second-storey oriel to No.10 with sashes of 8, 12 and 8 panes between pilasters, semi-derelict when inspected; sashes of 12 and 16 panes to Nos 14 & 16; a half-octagonal late C19 oriel and 2 pairs of margin-paned French windows to balcony with cast-iron railing to No.18 and an Italianate stuccoed extension to No.20 with ornate cast-iron rail to second storey balcony and some windows with round-arched upper panes, as at front. Lead rainwater head and pipe on No.18 dated 1780.
INTERIORS: No.10 could not be inspected but has patterned tiled hall floor, reeded frieze, moulded cornice and panelled shutters to first storey front window. The stair and other features are stated to be intact.
No.12 has margin-paned inner door and overlight, patterned tiling to hall and stair-hall floors; stone steps to basement which has doors of 3 and 4 fielded panels. Barrel-vaulted ceiling parallel with front, under stair-well, a cast-iron grate, stone steps to lower cellars which have brick barrel-vaulted ceilings, some sandstone in lower parts of walls and brick wine-bins. The first storey doors are replaced. Open-well stone stair has main flights parallel with front, moulded soffits and tread edges, tapered newel, 3 stick balusters per step, swept rail and domed lantern. Second storey front room has marble fireplace with half-round Delian fluted pilasters and cornice to 2-panel ceiling; some dado panelling; a door of 5 fielded panels to south rear room. The third storey has doors of 4 fielded panels and panelled embrasures with shutters.
No.14. The interior is restored. The cellar has brick barrel-vaults and wine bins; stone steps; the basement has a 4-panel outer door in the manner of John Douglas, inner doors of 4 fielded panels some replaced by 6-panel doors, brick barrel-vault, brick-arched recesses for kitchen range and warming-cupboards; stone stair to hall has stick balusters and swept rail; oval entrance-hall leading to oval stair-hall has replaced marble floor and cornice; front room has panelled embrasures and shutters, panelled dado, fluted frieze, cornice and repaired ceiling rose; the rear room has panelled dado and a cornice. Stone stair of one flight per storey has moulded soffits and tread-edges, winders at bottom and top,half-landing, stick balusters and swept rail. The small front room in the second storey has panelled embrasures and shutters; the main front room has panelled dado, embrasures and shutters, replaced fireplace, cornice and ceiling rose; the rear room has panelled dado, embrasure and shutters, cast-iron fireplace, good frieze with pairs of griffins between festoons and cornice to ceiling of 2 plaster panels with a rose. Modillion cornice and replaced moulded plaster ceiling to stairwell. The third storey has doors of 4 fielded panels and simple cornices. The attic has doors of 2 fielded panels and an Art Nouveau cast-iron fireplace.
No.16. The interior is restored with some alterations for office use, by Digby Harris, 1980s. Tiled floor to oval entrance hall and oval stair hall behind; doors of 5 fielded panels, those to principal rooms being wide; the stone stair in each storey has windows to quarter-turn at bottom and top and a mid-flight landing, moulded steps, 3 cast-iron balusters per step and swept rail; the second-storey rear room has panelled embrasures and moulded 3-panel ceiling; the front rooms have panelled embrasures and cornice; curved door to rear wing; the third storey has 2 doors of 4 fielded panels and a modillion cornice to stair-well.
No.18 has a 2-panel ceiling with rose, a replaced moulded plaster ceiling with probably original modillion cornice to stair-well, doors of 4 fielded panels and cornices in third storey, doors of 2 fielded panels and a cast-iron Art Nouveau fireplace in the attic storey.
No.20. The interior is restored with some alterations for office use by John Tweed, 1980s. The hall has patterned tile floor and dentil cornice above frieze with festoons. In the first storey the front room has a row of broad panels beneath the dado rail and a row of large panels above it, a frieze and cornice and brass doorknob and plate. The stair is rebuilt, reusing components from the Italianate refurbishment: carved round newels; 2 balusters of alternating design, with foliar carving, per step; swept rail. Doors of 5 fielded panels. The second storey front room has a panelled embrasure to the central window and a sub-panel and panelled shutters to each side window, a cast-iron grate in wood surround with foliar carving on pilasters and a cartouche between festoons on frieze surmounted by moulded cornice with dentils. The third storey has four doors of 5 fielded panels and one door with round-topped panes of painted glass above 2 fielded panels. The stair rises to an attic storey with one half-glazed 2-panel door.
No.22, now containing doctor's surgeries, is altered internally. The hall has a patterned tile floor, frieze and dentil cornice. The first storey front room, now partitioned, has a frieze with Classical figures in relief on projecting blocks separated by festoons. The open-well stair to the second storey is altered above the 8th step; the original part has shaped brackets and 2 stick balusters per step, the leading ones on short plinths. The second storey has 3 doors of 5 fielded panels. Across the second storey landing the open-well open-string stair to the third storey has shaped brackets, turned newel, curtail, 2 stick balusters per step and swept rail. The third storey has 4 doors of 5 fielded panels and front rooms with small cornices. The principal rooms used as surgeries and the attic storey could not be inspected.
No.24. The hall has a mosaic floor and painted small panelling. Barrel-vaulted cellars have closed-string stair with heavy panelled oak newels, 3 turned oak balusters per step and heavy moulded rail, doors of 4 fielded panels and brick wine-bins. The first storey front room has a replaced oak door of 10 fielded panels, oak panelling with one row below the dado rail and 4 rows above it, a fireplace and overmantel of oak with paired terms (without busts), carved frieze and cornice to mantel with linenfold panelling above containing 2 bevelled mirrors flanked by an African head, left, and a bearded merman, right; cartouche with 2 initials, probably JB; frieze with swags and fruit beneath a dentil ceiling cornice. Stone stair around narrow open well has 4 flights per storey, stick balusters and swept rail. The second storey front room, now partitioned, has a plain fireplace and panelled plaster ceiling with festoon frieze and ornate cornice and a broad opening, now blocked, to the south rear room which has a cornice, as does the north room. The third storey has doors of 4 fielded panels; the rear rooms have cornices; 2 cupboards have round-topped 2-panel doors. The stairwell has a domed lantern. The small attic has no features of interest.
No.26 has cellars with repaired stone stair and some brick barrel-vaulting. Floors in the main storeys are covered, and some partitioned. A small rose-window between hall and stair-hall. Open-well stone stair to the second storey has moulded steps, turned newel, curtail, 2 wooden stick balusters per step and swept rail. The first storey has one door of 5 fielded panels, a similar but altered door, panelled shutters and dentil cornices. The second storey has panelled embrasures with shutters, an iron grate in a marble surround, cornice and panelled plaster ceiling in front room; the north rear room has an iron hob grate in a marble surround, doors of 5 fielded panels, a panelled embrasure and a cornice; the altered south rear room has a cornice. The stair to the third storey is similar in form to the lower stair, but of wood; the landing has doors of 2 fielded panels to a round-topped cupboard; 5 doors of 4 fielded panels; the south front room has panelled embrasures and a cornice; the north front room has a sub-panel to the window, surround to a blocked fireplace and a cornice; the rear south room has a sub-panel to the window; the rear north room has a cornice. Domed lantern to stair-well.
No.28. The interior was recast when extended c1830. The lower cellar has no visible features of special interest. The basement has 4-panel doors. The closed-string back stair has tapered newels and stick balusters. The first storey south room, altered, has a partly-visible heavy cornice; the north front room has a cornice; the north rear room has 3 French windows with panelled shutters and a cornice in the form of a rod wreathed with oak leaves. The wooden stair, S-shaped to the second storey and around a triangular well to the third storey, has curtail, 2 stick balusters per step and swept rail with rose. The second storey has doors of 4 margined panels, sub-panels to windows and cornices in front rooms; the north rear room has 3 French windows with panelled shutters and a cornice formed as a series of horizontal rods, each terminating in foliar mouldings. The third storey rooms have cornices. The attic has no features of special interest.
(Weston S & Hunter J: Survey of the Ancient and Loyal City of Chester: Chester: 1789-; Wood J: Plan of the City of Chester: 1833-).
Listing NGR: SJ4029166130
