| Description | 22 Silver Street, Wakefield.
22 Silver Street was the subject of an archaeological assessment by Peter Thornborrow (Historic Buildings Officer. WYAS) in 1988. This was probably undertaken to support a request to English Heritage to give the property a listed building designation. The photographic images and sketch plan produced by the application are held by WYAAS (Thornborrow, P.H. (WYAS). 1988). The report is transcribed below:
'Description: Elevation fronting Silver Street faces east which is street front. Two bays, three storeys, former house (perhaps), now partly converted to shop (vacant) with accommodation above. Probably mid 18th century (altered). Constructed of brick rendered to front marked with false masonry joints with ashlar sills, two bay modern shop front to ground floor, above two bays of windows with projecting ashlar sill, modern casement glazing, square window to second floor with projecting sill. Projecting eaves ashlar band, and stone (moulded) bracket support a passage attached to the left hand return wall which leads into Bairstow Square. Range behind has two former stair widows in outer bays with four light sash to first floor with two brick windows above, one apparently retaining nine pane sash. This, in brick stretcher bond, has doorway to right hand end with segmental arched ‘soldiers’ [as written].
Main elevation: In square, approached down narrow passage off Bairstow Square, facing east, there are five surviving bays of the remains of a distinguished 18th century house. Brick elevation in Flemish bond (alternate stretcher header and the same above in courses). In first bay is fine doorway with wooden surround and carved brackets which support fluted frieze carrying triangular pediment. To right, window immediately adjacent, probably the doorway has been moved when adjacent block was built against it. Doorway in third bay not original but lowering of a window. Outer bay has doorway with wooden architrave and six panel door with raised and fielded panels and shaped knocker, with above, six paned over light. Margin tooled quoins survive to right hand end only, left hand obscured by later addition (not of special interest) at right angles.
To the first floor, five wooden windows with projecting stone sills: four survive with wooden architrave, three survive with fifteen paned, top hung sashes. Stone moulded brackets carry stone gutter at eaves with casement moulding. Roof not visible but probably blue slate, large brick axial stack. Attached to right hand end is a slightly later addition, probably 19th century, in differing brick which has stone plinth and projecting sill band to ground floor and main feature of canted bay window with Tuscan columns as mullions and with Tuscan pilasters attached to wall of both floors, frieze and casement moulded cornice, with at eaves level, dentil cornice. This is an unusual feature in the Wakefield district. These are constructed of sandstone.
Interior: Opposite the main entry in the yard is a dog leg staircase which rises through two storeys; slender ramped handrail with turned newels and alternating stick and pierced flat baluster. Top floor has tongued and grooved boarded dado (painted). Attic storey has regularly spaced collared trusses with angled principals (like upper crucks) house in wall (probably mortised into tie beam which carries the floor frame. The principals carry continuously scarfed trenched purlin. Windows facing yard (the main elevation) retain shutters with raised and fielded panels and similarly treated window seats.
Recommendations: The building is for sale and is likely to suffer alterations when it is sold of it remains unlisted. This is a good example of a Georgian town house with a private yard/garden and different street frontage. The building is worthy of consideration as a grade II listed building'.
(Thornborrow, P.H. (WYAS). 1988 |