53 Saville Street

L-shaped structure on three storeys. Originally it was two separate buildings, comprising a larger three storey L-shped structure to the south, with a smaller rectangular two-storey building to the north. Both were built between 1787 and 1827. An additional single storey structure was added to the north-west corner in the mid twentieth century. Brick built. The east and south façade of the building are rendered with a Neo-Georgian style stucco and have inserted bay windows. Slate roof with brick chimney. Modern shop front at ground floor. Inside - plaster frieze of early twentieth century date, woodwork panelling to main staircase also thought to be twentieth century, and woodwork panelling to two windows on first floor of probable Georgian date. It is unclear whether the buildings were originally residential or commercial, but in 1886 the L-shaped building was acquired by Messrs. GH and JR Hogg and converted into an extensive shop to be known as Howard Stores. By 1923 business was thriving (a new shop was opened in Newcastle) and it likely that the stucco façade was added around this time, along with the bay windows and internal detail. The 1856 date on the finial on the south façade relates to the original founding of the Howard Stores on different premises.