Listed Building: THE FLAGGS AND HAMILTON HOUSE, AND FRONT GARDEN WALLS AND GATES (1330300)

SJ 46 NE 2/48 TARVIN C.P. CHURCH STREET (East Side) The Flaggs and Hamilton House, and front garden walls and gates. 22/10/1952 GV II* Pair of houses: dated 1756 on rainhead, later extensions to rear. Flemish bond orange brick with buff sandstone dressings. Welsh slate roof and 3 brick chimneys. Single-pile plan. 3-storey, symmetrical 8-bay front. Stone plinth with access to cellars. Rusticated stone quoins, moulded cornice and plain blocking course. Windows are 12-pane sashes, ground floor recessed, remainder cased and flush, top storeys 6-pane sashes. These have rusticated stone heads with raised keyblocks (moulded over the doors) and stone sills. 3rd and 6th bays have moulded wooden doorcases with panelled reveals. To the left is a segmental pediment, to the right a triangular one. These contain 6-panelled doors approached by 2 stone steps. The houses are divided by a central drainpipe with 1756 on the rainhead. The small front gardens have low brick walls with chamfered stone copings and simple iron railings. Each house has a gateway with square piers and capstones and small wrought iron gates. Interior: Hamilton House: entry into narrow hall with semi-circular archway with raised keyblock and imposts. Only 2 main rooms with staircase to rear. Drawing room has an original fireplace with rilled pilasters and a simple frieze containing a modern grate. Dogleg stair with square newels has crisscross balustrade in manner of Chinese Chippendale staircases. Many of the doors are of 2 fielded panels in simple surrounds, with some later 4 and 6-panelled doors. Extensive cellars. The Flaggs: hall has segmental arch on fluted pilasters. Main room has bold egg and dart moulded cornice, fluted centre, and C18 fireplace from Tarvin Hall. Room to right less ornate cornice. Openwell pine staircase has 3 column balusters per tread, column newels and curving handrail. Carved acanthus on open string. Moulded cornices in upper rooms, one with moulded beams. Later 4-panelled doors below, doors and cupboards with 2 fielded panels in top storey. Dr A Gomme (unpublished) shows the very close comparison of this pair with the north side of Abbey Square, Chester, which are contemporary though a little grander. He believes they were built by the same lessee, Taylor. Listing NGR: SJ4912367002