History

Late Victorian shop and warehouse group c1890. This consists of 2 shops with accomodation/offices arranged on 2 storeys above and with associated warehousing or manufacturing ranges to the rear, fronting Bull Lane. The whole complex now forms the Denbigh post office.

Exterior

Large Victorian shop and warehouse complex in eclectic late Gothic/Renaissance style. Of red-brown brick and terracotta construction with pale sandstone banding; slate roofs with tiled ridges. The complex consists of a main 3-storey elevation with 2 ground-floor shops facing the High Street, that to the L a corner shop wrapped around onto Bull Lane. Continuing up the lane from this are 3 two-storey ranges, the last one with shaped gable. The shop fronts to the main block have rusticated flanking piers terminating in stylised shaped finials with surmounting balls. These rise through a plain fascia with moulded and dentilated cornice. The post office is to the R and has a modern shop-front. The shop to the L, empty at time of survey, retains its original shop front. Central entrance recessed between large windows with returned glazing, that to the L with canted corner returned onto Bull Lane; cast iron colonnettes with simple capitals and bases, and associated brackets. Large part-glazed doors with arched top lights; C20 iron half-gate flush to the front.

The first floor is divided into 3 bays, each with 3 grouped windows, forming 9 windows in all, and with projecting flat piers dividing the bays; plain 3-part vertical sashes with continuous sandstone lintel band. The second floor has 6 slightly broader windows, 2 per bay, with plain lower and 2-pain upper sash sections. Between the floors are 6 recessed panels with carved foliate relief work in terracotta. On the corner (L), above the shop is a storeyed octagonal tower rising through the first and second floors and terminating in a squat octagonal spire. This has feathered and moulded eaves with a dentil course and paired blind arches to each face above the second floor windows. The latter, and the first floor windows are plain vertical sashes as before; the decorative terracotta panels are continued onto the faces of the tower.

The Bull Lane elevations have simple vertical sashes of similar form with sill and lintel bands of sandstone. The lowest (right-hand) section has an entrance to the L with 2 large, paired windows; segmental brick relieving arches to these and grouped sashes above. Stepped-up to the L of this is a 2-bay section with stepped gable to the right-hand bay. Three grouped windows with flanking entrances and 2 pairs of sashes above. Stepped-up from this is a further section with 5 windows to each floor and a further entrance to the R. Terminating the elevation to the L is a 3-bay end block with shaped decorative gable. This has ball finials and ogee and stepped elements, with flat outer pilasters carried down to first-floor level where they terminate. The 3 bays are recessed between dividing piers which are flush with the gable. Central entrance with flanking windows, all with segmental heads; cross-windows with plain glazing. Similar first floor windows, the central one arched. These have a continuous moulded label course and fluted keystones. The gable fronts a large, plain hall block to the rear. Adjoining the gable to the L is a short stepped screen wall section fronting a contemporary single-storey slated lean-to; 5-panel moulded door.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a prominent and (for the town) ambitious C19 corner building in the Renaissance/Gothic style favoured for contemporary commercial architecture, retaining good external late Victorian character with fine terracotta detailing and one complete surviving shop front.

Group value with other listed items in Hall Square and High Street.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29500720

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)