Reasons for Designation
* This later C19 building, which combines first-floor chambers and ground-floor shops, has a high-quality decorative design incorporating a doorway with bust of St Peter and oriel window with iron sunflower balustrade
* The sense of rhythm, variation, attention to detail, and artistic flair mark the building out as architect-designed
* The building is specifically designed to fit into its setting, with the over-sized doorway and eye-catching oriel window drawing attention to the building and more specifically to the upper-floor chambers, a new C19 building type
* The two sets of chambers retain their original entrance lobbies with screens and staircases with newel posts incorporating composite capitals and gadrooned finials, as well as other original fixtures and fittings such as fireplaces, cornices, skirting boards, and four-panelled doors.
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30 September 2022 to correct typos in the description and reformat text to current standards
701/0/10044
ST PETERSGATE
35-45
St Peter's Chambers
28-APR-08
II
Offices and shops. c.1880. Brick with sandstone dressings, slate roof, and brick stacks.
PLAN: Rectangular with five shop units on the ground floor, divided into groups of two and a single unit at the south-west end by two doorways with entrance lobbies and staircases to upper-floor chambers. Two chambers with suites of rooms on the first floor.
EXTERIOR: Flemish bond to the front elevation with bracketed heavy wooden modillion eaves cornice. To left (north-east) is a five-bay range (Nos.35-43) with a central doorway to No.39, the first-floor chambers. Round-headed doorway with elaborate carved stone surround of curved inner arch encased in cable-moulding, with segmental indents to the arch voussoirs and console keystone surmounted by a bust of St Peter in an outer arch. Crossed keys below bust and incised gothic lettering to each side stating St Peter's Chambers. Over the outer arch is a segmental-curved modillion cornice which is continued as a straight modillion cornice above the ground-floor shops, though now partially obscured by modern shop fronts, with a first-floor stone band above.
Three-panelled double doors with plain semi-circular fanlight. The first-floor bay above the doorway projects slightly with a round-headed two-pane sash window with moulded stone head, giant keystone, and impost band continued along the length of the five-bay elevation. Two flanking bays to each side have tripartite windows separated by pilasters with flower motif sandstone heads and bases. Windows have moulded stone surrounds with modillions to lintels. Between the individual two-pane sashes are very slender barley-twist iron columns with foliate caps.
The shops on the ground floor all have modern shop fronts.
To the right (south-west) end is a slightly projecting range (No.45) with three first-floor bays and a central gablet in the form of a broken triangular pediment. To the left of the ground floor is a round-arched doorway to the first-floor chambers with moulded stone imposts and head with giant keystone rising to a first-floor stone band. Two-panelled double doors with plain semi-circular fanlight. To right is a loggia of three round-headed openings, with a modern shop front behind. Above is a large, central oriel window with a gadrooned stone pedestal base, a semi-circular window with five curved two-pane sash windows separated by slender iron colonettes, surmounted by a decorative ironwork balustrade with sunflower motifs. Above the balustrade, within the gablet, is a round-headed two-pane sash window with moulded stone head and keystone. Flanking the oriel are two-pane sash windows with tall stone tympanums carved with flower motifs.
INTERIOR: Each of the two entrances to the upper chambers has a lobby with original glazed and timber panelled screens incorporating central doors with a lower moulded panel and two-thirds glazing above. Inside the screens are two similar stair halls with heavy moulded cornicing and wooden staircases with newel posts incorporating composite capitals and gadrooned finials, turned wooden balusters and shaped cheekpieces. Moulded cornices and deep moulded skirting boards survive, as do original four-panelled doors and architraves in No.45. Decorative metal mantelpiece in No.45 and marble fireplace in No.39.
The interiors were only partially inspected.
HISTORY: The architect Thomas Allen had offices here in the 1880s and may have been responsible for the design, but original Building Regulation Plans are not known to survive.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
St Peter's Chambers is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* This later C19 building, which combines first-floor chambers and ground-floor shops, has a high-quality decorative design incorporating a doorway with bust of St Peter and oriel window with iron sunflower balustrade
* The sense of rhythm, variation, attention to detail, and artistic flair mark the building out as architect-designed
* The building is specifically designed to fit into its setting, with the over-sized doorway and eye-catching oriel window drawing attention to the building and more specifically to the upper-floor chambers, a new C19 building type
* The two sets of chambers retain their original entrance lobbies with screens and staircases with newel posts incorporating composite capitals and gadrooned finials, as well as other original fixtures and fittings such as fireplaces, cornices, skirting boards, and four-panelled doors.
