Appraisal

Nos 1 and 3, Monmouth Street

No. 1
Located at the corner of the Monmouth Street and Neal Street, with frontages to each street and with a short frontage between the two, no. 1, Monmouth Street comprises a four-storey, red brick faced property with red brick arches to the two window openings at each floor level and painted stone dressings. A further storey at fourth floor level is contained within a richly modelled ‘Dutch’ gable above the strongly-expressed, projecting cornice, on each street-frontage. There is a prominent chimney stack above the short corner frontage. The property carries the date 1893.

The ground floor has imaginative new shopfronts comprising door and window surrounds of green glazed brick neatly fitted between the original red brick pilasters supporting the upper floors. The original panelled, entrance door leading to the chambers on the upper floors survives at the right hand end of the frontage at ground floor level. The use of the glazed brickwork shows how a recent intervention can be made successfully in the spirit of the original building, but with marked individuality of its own.

The red brickwork and white painted joinery of the casement and sash windows of the upper elevations are well maintained and should continue to be so. The property enjoys a complementary role in scale and character with no. 3, immediately adjacent. The deep fascia above the shop window carries applied lettering above a modern, retractable, black canvas, projecting canopy.

No. 3
No. 3 Monmouth Street comprises a four-storey, red brick faced property of Queen Anne Revival character with red brick arches to the two window openings at each floor level and painted stone dressings, with a further storey at fourth floor level contained within a richly modelled ‘Dutch’ gable. A strongly-expressed, projecting cornice runs across the elevation above the two, window openings at second floor level. The property was probably built around the same time as no. 1.

The red brickwork and white painted joinery of the subdivided sash windows of the upper elevations are well maintained. On the left hand side of the frontage at ground floor level is the entrance to the chambers on the upper floors, comprising a richly modelled, painted stone door case with the original panelled door. The property enjoys a complementary role in scale and character with no. 1, immediately adjacent.

Whilst the cornice, consoles and pilasters of the original frontage at ground floor level survive, the traditional shopfront is of indeterminate age, above which is an excessively deep, modern, internally-illuminated fascia sign with a poorly detailed retractable projecting canopy located directly below. A poorly designed, externally-illuminated sign projects from the console at the right hand end of the frontage.

Both Nos. 1 and 3 are unlisted properties of considerable architectural and townscape value contributing positively to the character, appearance and significance of the Seven Dials Conservation Area.