8-14 (even) Berry Street

Details

BERRY STREET, Nos. 8-14 (even)

II


A range of 4 shops, formerly one of a pair of crosswings of a residential and commercial complex known as 'Warmsley's Yard. c.1798-1803, with later C19 and C20 alterations. By John Warmsley,(c.1765-1812) architect and builder. Painted stucco on brick, with ashlar sandstone dressings, brick ridge stacks and hipped roof with Welsh slate covering.

PLAN: L-shaped plan, the main frontage to Berry Street with a short return range to Wood Street.

EXTERIOR: Berry Street elevation of 3 storeys, 5 bays, the central 3 bays set beneath a wide, shallow pediment. These bays are delineated by pairs of pilasters to the upper floor levels. The ground floor is now occupied by 4 C20 shop frontages. The south end bay and all but one of the sections of the 3- bay centre have blocked first and smaller second floor window openings of original dimensions. The north end bay has 2 windows to each of the upper floor with C20 joinery. The right and left hand bays of the pedimented centre have moulded ashlar window surrounds with cornices. The left-hand opening is now blocked, and has a swagged patera above. The right-hand opening has a C20 multi-pane frame, and a smaller blocked window above. The wide centre bay has a blind first floor opening below a blind Diocletian window. 3 bay return to Wood Street with remodelled ground floor, but retaining original pattern of openings to upper floor, now with C20 joinery components.

INTERIOR: Not inspected.

HISTORY: The building was originally part of a complex of residential and commercial buildings developed by John Warmsley. This was an extensive U-shaped ensemble, the central range of which was set to the rear of an open quadrangle used for commercial purposes. This complex was completed by 1803, when it is shown on Horwoods map of that year, and is thought to have included ancillary dwelling ranges on Seel Street and Wood Street, of which the former, nos. 79-83 (q.v.) survive. The central range was demolished after Warmsley's death in 1812, and its site, and that of the quadrangle were re-developed later in the C19 with the present buildings.
Forms part of a group with the nearby St Luke's Church q v.) and its almost identical twin range, nos. 24-30 Berry Street (q.v.) to the south.

Nos. 8-14 Berry Street is of both special architectural and historic interest as one of pair of surviving elements of an extensive late C18 residential and commercial complex designed by a notable Liverpool architect and builder. Like the merchants housing with attached warehousing in the Lower Duke Street area, it is indicative of the economic and entrepreneurial vitality of Liverpool in the late C18, and of the architectural identity of the city at this time. Despite alteration, this building and the other surviving element at nos. 24-30 Berry Street (q.v.)are significant indicators of the C18th character of this area of central Liverpool, and contribute to the settings of other historic buildings within the conservation area of which they are prominent components.

End of official list entry

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