Appraisal

Nos. 9 and 11, Monmouth Street

A pair of four-storey, stock brick faced, early-19th-century properties with later, probably mid-19th-century, painted stucco architraves around the window openings at first, second and third floor levels and undivided sash windows. There are residual traces of tuck pointing in the brickwork. The poorly proportioned and detailed shopfronts with excessively deep fascias without cornices may conceal elements of the original shopfronts. The fascia of no. 11 is externally-illuminated and carried sign written lettering.

Regrettably, the brickwork above the architraves of the window openings at third floor level extending upwards to the parapet coping has been rendered and painted, and the street elevations further marred by a painted-steel balustrade serving the fire-escape route at roof level.

Unlisted properties of modest townscape value contributing to the character, appearance and significance of the Seven Dials Conservation Area.

There is clearly scope for the enhancement of the properties by the reinstatement of appropriately proportioned and detailed shopfronts and signs, by the reinstatement of a correctly detailed, stucco cornice and frieze at the top of the street elevations or by painting of the rendered surfaces to match the brickwork below, by the setting back of the painted metal balustrade, by the reinstatement of glazing bars in the sashes of the windows of the upper floors which are currently glazed with large sheets of plate glass. The residual tuck pointing is a fine detail and should be retained and ideally reinstated across the entire street elevations as necessary.