NHER 55343 (Building record) - 120 and 120A King Street

NIAS records.
Photographic survey taken in 1988 after A. E. Plumstead Ltd closed and machinery moved out (S1). Building is currently 'John Utting Motor Engineering' see (S2).
W. Arnold (HES), 14 March 2011.

September 2008. Desk-based Assessment and Building Survey.
Architectural and historical appraisal of Nos 120-140 King Street.
This location (Plot B) was occupied by three buildings, 120 King Street, 120A King Street and the former John Utting's motor workshop.
120 King Street is a three-storey town house that occupies the south-east corner of the plot. It was constructed in around 1830, although its southern return wall has evidence for three phases of house, beginning in c.1600. The rear room has been significantly altered due to is use as a motor workshop. The two front sash windows are original fittings as are the rising flights of the staircase.
120A King Street is an adjacent two-storey brick building constructed in around 1840. It was possibly intended to double as a shop from the start, although the present, relatively plain display window is one inserted in around 1900. The ground floor had been offices for the motor workshop, while the first floor had provided additional accommodation for 120 (with an opening knocked through for the purpose). Few original features survived. Although these buildings are relatively ordinary is was nevertheless argued that they contribute positively to King Street, serving to document part of its 19th-century history.
The most significant element of the motor workshop was the ground floor parts of the three outer walls. The earliest is the west wall which probably dates to the mid 16th century. The south and north walls date to c.1600 and c.1680 respectively. These were deemed to be of very high significance. The three mezzanine ranges are still substantially of c.1860-1870 in their plan, although only the roof structures and parts of the floors are now of this date, the upper walls all being of 1950s breeze blocks. The remaining covered areas, roofs and brick additions towards King Street also date to the 1950s.
In 1911 120A King Street is recorded as occupied by a wood turner. From about 1920 the industrial premises were operated by A. E. Plumstead Ltd, a firm of general engineers who subsequently expanded their operations into the block to the south. The firm went into receivership in 1988.
See report (S3) for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 12 August 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 12 May 2015.

Between 2014 and 2015 the industrial buildings were demolished and the site redeveloped. Nos 120 and 120A were however retained and renovated. The early walls that had been part of the industrial buildings were also preserved and incorporated into the fabric of the new dwellings.
See NHER 64900 for details of archaeological discoveries made prior to and during this work.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 May 2015.