York Historic Environment Record

Formerly known as: No.49 LOW PETERGATE. House, now shop. Early C15, extensively altered and refronted later; extended into C16 rear block shared with Nos 73, 75 and 77 (qv); altered C19 shopfront. Front block 2 bays deep extended by linking passage into 1-bay extension. Both parts timber-framed, front block stuccoed at front and rear, extension rendered brick; timber shopfront; pantile roof with brick stack.

EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and attic; 1-bay gabled front, with jettied first and second floors. Shopfront framed in panelled pilasters with rosettes and grooved brackets at the head beneath plain fascia: half-canted plate glass windows over moulded panel risers flank glazed and panelled door. Window on first floor is canted oriel with 16-pane sash; on second floor, 20-pane sash; in attic, paired 4-pane fixed lights. Winged cherub rainwater head dated 1763 to left. Rear: rear of front block is gabled with cross-braced crown post truss exposed in gable end. Rear of extension 2 storeys and attic, and gabled; C20 door and 4-pane sash window on ground floor; 16-pane sash on second floor; 9-pane fixed light to attic.

INTERIOR: posts, wall-plates and wall studding are visible in places throughout all parts of building. Ground floor: hearth with timber bressumer in shop; fireplace with timber lintel in back room. First floor: staircase balustrade on landing has thick turned balusters, column newel and bowed moulded handrail. Rear room has fireplace with decorated basket grate in plain surround with moulded shelf. Second floor: similar fireplace as on first floor, with later round-headed grate. Attic: crown post truss survives in front wall: intermediate truss altered to kerb principals. Massive brick firehood survives.

(City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 196). Listing NGR: SE6036952015

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

House, No. 79, of three storeys and attic, gabled to the street, was built as a thre-storey timber-framed house in the seconf half of the 14th century. It had a three-bay roof with crown posts, crossed-braces and side and collar-purlins, the crown-posts, about 8 ft. high, supported on cambered tie-beams. In the mid 16th century it was extensively modernised. A floor was inserted at eaves level and, to provide circulation in this new attic, the two internal trusses were removed and replaced by two kerb-principal trusses (Fig. 7n). In addition the two jettied upper storeys of the street elevation had their front walls modernised by the removal of most of the framing, and the insertion of close stuidding with mulioned windows. The timber-framed front elevation has recently been restored and covered with plaster. At the S.E. end is a rainwater head with the date 1763.

Monument (364) 1981. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York. Volume V, the Central Area. P 196. London: RCHME

Summary Statement of Significance:
79 Low Petergate has been designated as being of more than special architectural or interest on the basis that it is a Grade II* listed building. The building also falls within York’s Historic Core Conservation Area and Area of Archaeological Importance. The significance of the site principally resides in its early date with the front block facing Low Petergate having either a late 14th or early 15th century date and a rear block (previously a separate detached building) having a mid-16th century date. Evidence of this original form and later changes of historic interest are preserved within the building, in particular the remains of an original crown post roof in the attic to the front block, insertion of an attic floor in the rear block, probable 18th century staircase and fireplace and post medieval newel stair to the attic at the front range.

The building derives considerable historic, architectural (aesthetic) and archaeological (evidential) interest from considerable survival of original timber framing that is visible internally. Some later changes have some – but limited - significance while modern changes such as the modern kitchen and bathroom fittings, kitchen extraction unit and modern floor surfaces have no significance. The walls to the yard are modern and have no significance. While the rebuilding of the rear elevation with poor quality brickwork has compromised the significance of the building, the clearest erosion of significance has resulted from the separation in ownership and use between the application site in the rear block and the adjoining buildings to which it previously formed a complete building with.

These have developed as Strada in recent years and the separation in use and ownership has notably reduced the legibility of the historic floor plan, circulation and overall character. It has also created problems in that the attic over the rear building is now inaccessible to the current owners of 1 Bailey Court as it was presumably accessed from the adjoining building before ownership was divided. There is a strong group value between the application site and its neighbours that are contemporary with it. Given its age and survival of historical character, despite various alterations the frontage to Low Petergate positively contributes to the historic street scene within the conservation area, including channelled views to York Minster. The elevation to the rear block has been wholly or largely rebuilt and is largely hidden by modern buildings and therefore makes only a limited contribution.

SYO2240 Heritage Statement - Humble Heritage

NMR Information

Full description

(SE 60385202-O.S 1/2500, 1962)

1. LOW PETERGATE 5343 (south-west side)

No 79 (formerly listed as No 49) SE 6052 SW 27/456 14.6.54

II* GV

2. Of late C14 origin but much altered and renovated. Timber frame plastered; 3 storeys plus attic; gabled; oversailing upper storesy; one C18 window and one oriel window with C18 glazing; rainwater head at left-hand side dated 1763. Small C19 shop front with modern glazing. (RCHM Vol. V, Monument 364.)

Sources

1 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. p183 City of York, June 1983.
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. District of York, 14-MAR-1997

BF061045 79 LOW PETERGATE, YORK File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued.

RCHME, 1981, City of York Volume V: The Central Area, p196 (Monograph). SYO65.

2011, 79 Low Petergate, York (Unpublished document). SYO2960.

Humble Heritage, 2019, 1 Bailey Court HER ST (Unpublished document). SYO2240.

NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.