York Historic Environment Record

YORK SE5951NE MICKLEGATE 1112-1/15/668 (North side) 14/06/54 No.86 Bathurst House and railings attached at front (Formerly Listed as: MICKLEGATE No.86 Bathurst House) (Formerly Listed as: MICKLEGATE Forecourt railings to No.86 (Bathurst House)) GV II* Town house. Early C18; raised to 3 full storeys c1822; further alterations and extensions at rear in late C19. For Charles and Frances Bathurst. MATERIALS: front of orange-brown brick in Flemish bond on stone plinth, with timber doorcase and modillion cornice, returning at right end; rear of reddish brick in English garden-wall bond, with timber eaves cornice, part on paired brackets. Brick stacks to slate roof. Iron railings on low stone plinth. Central entrance hall plan with service wing at right rear. EXTERIOR: 3-storey 5-bay front, the centre bay breaking forward above the doorcase. Stone steps to Doric doorcase of engaged fluted columns and entablature; panelled door and patterned radial fanlight recessed in panelled reveal within round-arched architrave with moulded imposts. Windows are sashes, of 18 panes on ground and first floors, 9 panes on second floor, all with flat arches of gauged brick and painted stone sills. Shutters of 8 raised and fielded panels survive on ground floor. Painted bands of 3 raised brick courses at first and second floor levels. At each end of eaves cornice are elaborate rainwater heads bearing the initials CBF above square section fallpipes with clamps stamped with the Bathurst crest, a hand clasping a serpent. Rear: 3 storeys, 2 windows, with 1-storey closet wing projecting to right, and 2-storey service wing to left. Central doorway beneath segmental arch has grooved-panel and margin-glazed door. Round-headed staircase window beneath gauged brick arch. 3-course raised brick band at first floor level returns along wing. At rear of wing is a fluted bowl rainwater head. Right return: 3-storey gable wall to front range, with 2-storey 6-bay service wing to right. Stone plinth and raised first floor band continue from front. Inserted round-arched doorway of painted gauged brick with moulded stone imposts and hoodmould in gable wall. Windows altered but traces of earlier openings with segmental brick arches survive. Service wing has 6-panel door and divided overlight towards right end. Windows are 12-pane sashes, those on ground floor in enlarged openings with flat arches, those on first floor with cambered arches. Moulded eaves cornice and fluted bowl rainwater head at right end, over fallpipe with fleur-de-lys clamps. INTERIOR: in basement, a length of medieval wall supporting later brick vaulting is exposed. Ground floor: pedimented doorcase on each side of entrance hall; plasterwork cornice and oval ceiling panel. Room to left subdivided by elliptical arch, now blocked but visible to rear; in front part, moulded cornice and reeded window architraves with angle blocks survive. Room to right has reeded doorcase with paterae, reeded window architraves with angle blocks and grooved panelled reveals with sunk roundels at angles; fluted cornice interspersed with paterae and late C19 ceiling rose in moulded surround. Stairhall arch is round with fluted keyblock, on fielded panel responds with moulded imposts. To left of stairhall are two doorcases with sunk panel jambs and angle roundels; to right, moulded round arch, with giant keyblock, on plain pilasters with moulded imposts, closed by margin-glazed door, leads to service passage. Cornice to stairhall arch returns above doorcase to left and service passage arch to right. Service passage has bold cornice and 8-panel doors re-used in C19 architraves. Bottom flight of secondary staircase with moulded string, boxed-in balusters, square newels and flat moulded handrail is located in service wing. Open string main staircase with double spiral balusters alternating with two fluted turned balusters and moulded, serpentine handrail, wreathed at foot around turned fluted newel on shaped curtail step. Corresponding fielded dado panelling swept up to fluted half newels. Round-headed staircase window, of which bottom sash is original, has keyed moulded and enriched arch on fluted composite pilasters with panelled pedestals. Stairwell ceiling is coved over enriched dentil cornice with plasterwork centre panel enclosing quatrefoil centrepiece. First floor landing ceiling has diamond shaped centrepiece with pomegranates enclosed in rectangular surround. First floor: landing doors are of 8 raised and fielded panels. Moulded and keyed round arch on sunk panelled pilasters leads to first floor passage. Both front rooms have reeded window architraves with angle blocks. Former saloon to right has reeded doorcase with paterae, and window reveals of grooved panelling; plaster cornice; frieze and ceiling probably of embossed paper, in Rococo design. Front left room has reeded cornice and window reveals of fielded panelling. Rear right room retains two walls lined with full height raised and fielded panelling, and bolection moulded fireplace with overmantel panel. Rear left room has reeded cornice and window with fielded panelled reveal. Secondary staircase rises from first floor passage to second floor, with one attached column half baluster visible. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: square section railings and standards with mace finials, swept round to entrance steps and at each end. From 1872-79, the house was used as offices for a District Goods Manager of the North Eastern Railway Company. (City of York: RCHME: South-west of the Ouse: HMSO: 1972-: 83). Listing NGR: SE5987351610