Former Franklin Barnes building, Bridge St, Hereford

The surprise building on Bridge Street, Hereford, is this 1930s Art Deco/Moderne building. It looks like it could have been a cinema but in fact was the retail premises of the local farm and garden merchant, Franklin Barnes & Co Ltd. The structure is steel framed with green and cream Vitrolite cladding. The stepped top, flag-posts, horizontal window bands, green "streamlines" and minimalist clock are all typical of Britain's somewhat underwhelming embrace of Modernism. All these details on the main elevation were wisely retained when it was restored c.2008. What was added at this time was the three red squares. Purists might deplore such an addition. I think they go well with the original design and improve it.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Castle Terrace, Chepstow

Castle Terrace, on Bridge Street, Chepstow, gets its name from the fact that the medieval castle is immediately behind the row. It is a late Georgian development, dating from the early nineteenth century. Its principal interest lies in the 24-pane Georgian bow windows on the ground floor. Remarkably, nearly all of them remain. To the casual passer-by, as opposed to those interested in architectural history, the fact that no two adjacent houses are painted the same colour is what catches the eye.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10