Building record TR 34 SW 2268 - Historic Building 44 Biggin Street, Dover, Kent
Summary
Location
Grid reference | Centred TR 3184 4153 (20m by 25m) |
---|---|
Map sheet | TR34SW |
County | KENT |
District | DOVER, KENT |
Civil Parish | DOVER, DOVER, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
The ground floor is heavily inserted for a modern commercial use and retains none of its original features. It is mostly glazed with polished stone over the party walls. The fascia containing the commercial signage protrudes slightly from the upper floors and there is metallic flashing above this. The upper floors are in brick and retain many of the original and decorative architectural features. At the first-floor level there is a large canted bay window, the base of which rests on the protruding fascia over the ground floor. This bay is divided into multiple panes by timber mullions, glazing bars and transoms, all of which are painted white, and is topped by a flat metal roof. This bay window is slightly offset from centre and there is another small window on its southern side. This has a decorative semi-circular window header and protruding sill in plaster. It looks as though this area was designed to hold a small statue on a plinth and the window was inserted at a later date, but this is not certain. At the top of the first floor there is a plaster string course painted white which aligns with the very top of the canted bay. There are two windows on the second-floor level, the larger northern window is the same width as the first-floor bay but is flat. It is divided into three sections by brick mullions, which are again divided into multiple panes by timber glazing bars. Both this and the bay below are located within a slight recess on the façade, this recess has an elliptical arch over the second-floor window and topped with a plastered keystone. The bricks within the arch at the second-floor level are slightly different to those present across the rest of the façade, suggesting that this window is a later insertion. Another small window is located on the second floor, aligning with the small window on the first floor. This also has a decorative plaster sill but lacks any decoration on the header which consists of a gauged flat brick arch. Immediately to the south of this small window is a gutter down pipe, starting at the top of the second floor and re-entering the building at the top of the first floor. A plaster pilaster is located over each of the party walls, starting at the base of the first floor up to the top of the second floor. There is a string course above these pilasters and the keystone of the arch, over which is a slight brick parapet and a large, elaborate, Dutch style gabled dormer. Both the parapet and dormer surround have plastered coping, painted white. This continues to the top of the dormer where there is a large triangular pediment in plaster. The string course at the base of the dormer/parapet forms a continuous sill for the two small windows both of which have flat gauged brick arches over. Some of the plasterwork detailing located across the façade is weathered, in some places badly, the string course at the base of the parapet is particularly bad. There is also a fair amount of vegetation growth and there are some areas across the façade where the brickwork is stained and worn. Untidy security system wiring is located mainly over the ground floor and there is some unattractive bird repelling features attached to many of the architectural details. The building appears to be structurally sound.
The ground floor openings are heavily inserted and modern for a commercial use. The main ground floor double door is mostly glazed, located centrally and set within a slightly recessed porch area. There are tall, floor to ceiling windows on either side of this door and a long rectangular one above the transom over the door. At the first-floor level there is a canted bay window slightly offset from centre and there is another small window on its southern side. The base of the bay window rests on the protruding fascia of ground floor and it is topped by a flat metallic roof. This bay had been divided into multiple parts by timber mullions and transoms. The lower part of all three sides are timber sashes, the upper part of these sashes is divided into multiple smaller panes (four in the outer two, and eight in the central) by timber glazing bars. The upper part of the window consists of multiple smaller panes, aligning with the upper parts of each of the sashes located beneath, and which appear to be fixed. Both the small windows on the southern side of the façade are also timber framed sashes, again with their upper parts divided into multiple smaller panes (six). The larger of the two second-floor windows is the same width as the first-floor bay but is flat. It is divided into three sections by brick mullions, all three sections are timber sashes, the upper part of which are again divided into multiple smaller panes (four in the outer two and eight in the central) the central section being double the width of the two outer. The two openings within the elaborate Dutch style gabled dormer are small, two pane sashes. All frames and surrounds across the first floor to the roof level are in a painted (white) timber and are in a good condition.
The roof was not clearly seen, the area immediately behind the parapet looks to be rendered. There area rendered stacks over each of the party walls (1)
<1> Kent County Council, 2019, Historic building condition asseesment and photographic survey of Dover Town Centre (Unpublished document). SKE52120.
Sources/Archives (1)
- <1>XY SKE52120 Unpublished document: Kent County Council. 2019. Historic building condition asseesment and photographic survey of Dover Town Centre. [Mapped feature: #101730 Building, ]
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- Non-Intrusive Event: Walkover and photographic survey of Dover Town - Area 1 Town Centre (EKE19202)
- Event Boundary: Walkover and photographic survey of Dover Town Centre (EKE19201)
Record last edited
Jun 19 2019 12:31PM