Monument Type(s):

• SHOP (17th century to Late 19th century - 1600 AD to 1899 AD)

Summary

A row of shops, early 19th century, with 17th century orgins, which are protected by Grade II Listing. No 40 is PRN 10321, No 41 is PRN 10322 and No 42 is PRN 10323.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA6749 - 2011 Building assessment of 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury by Richard K Morriss & Associates
• ESA6751 - 2011 WB on road adjacent to 39-41 High Street, Shrewsbury by SLR Consulting
• ESA8011 - 2011 Building survey of cellars at 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury by Richard K Morriss

Description

No 40 is PRN 10321, No 41 is PRN 10322 and No 42 is PRN 10323

Row of 3 shops. Early C19, with late C17 origins. Brick with Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys, 3-window range. Late C19 shop front to Nos 41 & 42, with windows each side of central door and arch to Peacock Passage and continuous plain fascia over. Further doorway to right. Inserted late C20 front to No. 40. Venetian windows over, the central window with segmental pediment. Paired sash windows to second floor. Heavy stuccoed eaves cornice. End wall stacks. Thin timbering visible in side walls of passage <2>

Could be described as a portmanteau monument: as a building, its coherence goes no deeper than the frontage, the result of refacing a number of separate buildings, probably following a local street-widening event (see 60125). No. 40 (Black Bull in Paradise PH, formerly The Criterion) was visited by the UAD field survey in 1996 (visit 60081) and found to overlie a medieval cellar at the rear (mon. 62371), the remains of further medieval cellarage in the middle of the property (60082) and an undated stone cellar on the frontage (mon. 62370); the present superstructure was not examined, though this might be productive. No. 41 was said not to have a cellar. No. 42 was found to have a two-room sandstone cellar (mon. 62372 defined by visit 60083) probably corresponding in plan with a timber-framed superstructure apparent in the ceiling beams of the shop. This monument is plotted as a single point corresponding to the embedded superstructure within no. 42 <3>

An architectural and archaeological analysis, and heritage impact assessment, was undertaken in 2011, in connection with proposals for alterations to Nos. 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury. Nos.39-40 High Street includes at least three separate properties that were only amalgamated in the 1960s to form a large restaurant and bar. Whilst No.40 contains fossilised remains of a late medieval timber-framed building above a medieval cellar in its rear range, none of the other standing buildings pre-date the end of the 18th century. The buildings reflect an ancient and complex plot development in the heart of the town and their elevations to the High Street and Peacock Passage contribute to the character of the Conservation Area. However, excepting the medieval remains, the gutted interiors are considered to be of very limited historical or architectural significance. <4>

In 2011, following on from outline building analysis (see <4>), a programme of recording was undertaken of the medieval cellarage at Nos 39-40 High Street. This mainly recorded the medieval masonry present under no 40 (see PRN 62370 and 62371). <5>

<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 10321 (Card index). SSA20722.

<01> Department of the Environment (DoE), 1972-Sep-19, 5th List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Shrewsbury), p104 (List of Buildings). SSA3477.

<02> Department of National Heritage (DNH), 1995-Nov-17, 47th List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p237 (List of Buildings). SSA3458.

<03a> Baker Nigel J, 1996, SUAD Field Visit Records File (Field recording form). SSA22030.

<03> Baker Nigel J, 1996, UAD Field Visit File I (Field recording form). SSA10337.

<04> Morriss Richard K, 2011, 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, NGR: SJ 492 124: an architectural & archaeological analysis & heritage impact assessment (Field survey report). SSA24098.

<05> Morriss Richard K, 2011, 39-40 High Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire: an outline architectural & archaeological analysis of the cellars (Field survey report). SSA29099.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.