| Description | 5 South Parade, Wakefield. Early 19th century high status brick house.
5 South Parade was the subject of an archaeological assessment by Colum Giles in 1979 as part of the WYAS/RCHME Rural Houses Survey. The sketch plan and photographic image produced by the assessment are held by WYAAS (Giles, C. (WYAS/RCHME). 1979). The field work report is transcribed below:
'This is a brick house of the early 19th century, part of the development which aimed to turn part of Wakefield into an area of ‘sparious’ [as written in text] middle class residences somewhat on the model of St. John's [Wakefield] or of Park Square, Leeds. The process of building in South Parade was effected in a piecemeal fashion, in contrast to the uniform terraces of St John's. The plots in South Parade are of different sizes, with many houses of three bays and some of five.
No. 5 is one of the larger houses in the group, being of five bays and, whether by design or merely owing to the failure to develop adjacent plots, free standing. It is of three storeys with a cellar. The house faces south onto former gardens. The facade has square headed windows with thin glazed bars; an eaves cornice; and a central entry. The door is flanked by Tuscan Doric columns and has a fluted architrave and a triangular pediment.
The door opens into an entrance hall. This is flanked by the two main reception rooms. North of these are two rooms of a single bay; that to the west retains its original cornice, and that to the east formerly contained a service stair. The rear of the house had a large room in each of the angles, with a stair hall in the centre: the stair has been removed, but must have raised to a half landing against the north wall before returning to the south. The well has been filled in, but was formerly lit by a Venetian window. Under the stairs were steps to the cellar.
The kitchen is housed today in a late 19th century block added to the north west corner. Originally, however, it may have been located in the north east room, which shows a blocked door in the north wall. If the kitchen was not in this room, it was possibly in the cellar. This is extensive and includes ample storage for food and drink, a set pot; and two rooms with a fireplace. One fireplace, in the north west room, is original but too small for kitchen use but the south eastern room has a larger fireplace, with a shallow brick arch. This is possibly of sufficient size to act as a kitchen fireplace, although the question of the location of the kitchen must remain open.
The first and second floors of the house were not investigated.
In the late 19th century a low wing was added to the east. It appears to have had a large door opening onto the street. Its use is unknown, although it is not part of the dwelling.
Outbuildings have been destroyed, and it is impossible to determine their function or extent. At the rear there survives the original stable/coach house, a two storey brick structure with a wide opening, now blocked, in the north wall, presumably for a small carriage'.
(Giles, C. (WYAS/RCHME). 1979. '5, South Parade. Wakefield').
WYAS archives holds a copy of architect's plans relating to a development to turn 5 South Parade into apartments (Anon. Undated. 'Proposal to turn nos.5 and 5a into flats').
WYAAS archives holds a draft copy of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council 2006 document: South Parade Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Guidelines. This is held on file in the file associated with this record. The report is illustrated with copies of photographic images.
The parade is a described as a stretch of red brick three storey terraced houses which face a secluded and well planted garden. It is an example of Georgian planning which is less formal and unified in composition than other examples in the city. |