Description

LAUNCESTON

660-1/4/44 CHURCH STREET
27-FEB-50 (West side)
20 AND 20A

(Formerly listed as:
CHURCH STREET
20
THE ORANGE CAFE)

GV II

Nos. 20 and 20a Church Street, originated as a late-C18 to C19 townhouse, converted into shops and an early photographic studio in the mid-C19.
MATERIALS: Render with a slate hung parapet to a half hipped slate roof. The shop-front is of carved and moulded timber and cast iron with a modern replacement brick plinth. There is a timber and glass photographic glass house or oriel window above.
PLAN: Corner site. There are two stories: the ground floor is subdivided into two shop premises, with a single two bedroom flat above, the staircase is to the east.
EXTERIOR: No. 20 has a mid-C19 corner shop front on the north and west elevation. There is a bowed fascia over a splayed entrance bay in the north west angle, with four lights to either side of the doorway, all with basket arched lights and cast iron barley twist mullions supported on brick stall rises and timber pilasters with carved decoration and capitals, except those flanking the doorway. The consoles are elaborate. The door is glazed with a shouldered arched head and an over light with carved top rail and transome. There is a moulded entablature with carved frieze including lozenges, rosettes and diapers and a moulded and carved cornice with acanthus leaf motifs. On the north elevation, above the flat roof of the shop-front is an oriel or glass house which has four-lights to the north, with eight panes per light, and French doors to both the east and west, with eight panes, and sidelights to either side of each door. No. 20a has an early-C20 double shop-front on the west elevation, which has a splayed central doorway with black and white mosaic tiled floor and slender steel columns and a sloping fascia, with modern signage, with tall end consoles. The west elevation has three first floor twelve-pane sash windows. The east or rear elevation has a C20 part- glazed door, and irregular fenestration of a variety of periods.
INTERIOR: Later alterations have removed any historic shop or studio fittings; Nos. 20 and 20a have two modern shop premises at the ground floor, each with small modern service rooms to the east. There is a single two bed roomed flat occupying the space above them. The roof appears to be original with a single Queen post truss and evidence that the roof space was formerly plastered as attic accommodation. In the basement are the remains of earlier building phases including a stone slab floor, the remains of a stone spiral staircase, a fire place with C18 grate, another flight of steps and several blocked openings.
HISTORY: Although the buildings appear to date substantially from the C19, they occupy a prominent and much older building plot immediately opposite St Mary's Church. Remnants of the earliest building phases, visible in the basement, confirm their origins from at least the C18. By the mid-C19, both properties belonged to Mr Henry Hayman who amongst other trades was a photographer. Local trades directories and census returns confirm that these buildings were the Hayman's photographic rooms from at least 1866 until 1880, where he employed at least four photographer's assistants. The Hayman's specialised in portrait photography; they also sold photographs of Cornish landscapes to increasing numbers of C19 tourists. In 1866 Hayman was advertising `The New Cabinet Portrait, specimens and albums for the same can be seen at Henry Haymans Photographic rooms, Church Street'. Efforts to keep abreast of the new technologies were clearly successful. In 1880 the business expanded into the adjacent building (Listed Grade II) which was used as a pianoforte warehouse on the ground floor, with a larger photographic studio on the top floor. By the early -C20, Nos 20 and 20a Church Street were used as tea rooms and have had a variety of commercial uses since.

SOURCES:
Launceston Weekly News 6th October 1866 extract provided by applicant.
Census returns: Launceston, Church Street 1871 & 1881, extract provided by applicant.
copies of historic photographs provided by the applicant, including: Hayman's trade card: C19 portraits taken by Hayman: copy of a late-C19 postcard of the premises: and an early-C20 photograph of the premises.

Photgraphic timeline @ Inventors.about.com/library/blphotography.htm accessed on 10/08/2007.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION:
Nos 20 and 20a Church Street are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* A good early example of the adaptation of a townhouse into commercial premises.

* The early shop front survives well, is decorative and of some quality.

* The glasshouse window is an unusual surviving example of a glasshouse used to provide the ample light necessary for early portrait photography

* The buildings have strong visual and contextual group value with the adjacent listed buildings, illustrating the commercial development of this area.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26585394

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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