194-197 High Street West

John Raine's Eye Plan of Sunderland 1790 shows a single building which would later become the intersection of High Street West and Norfolk Street. Although the house only has two storeys, it may represent the original form of the western part of 194-197 High Street West. By the time of the First Edition OS plan (1855) the building is shown in its current form. The ground floor of the building was altered in 1911 for the use of Arthur Smith and Company Ltd. Complete House Furnishers. The alteration included the installation of large picture windows between iron pilasters and a deeply recessed doorway centrally situated in the High Street West façade. It is not clear whether this was the first commercial use of the building. The building was recorded in 2002 ahead of redevelopment. Interior details included several original features such as fireplaces, original basement windows and chiselled carpenters marks in the roof trusses. The grates to the fireplaces are stylistically dateable to the late 18th/early 19th century.