Building record 727/0/63 - No.157 Watling Street West

A three and a half storey Georgian town house dated by dendrochronology to c1714.

{1} House. Mid C18. Ironstone ashlar to street, C20 plain-tile roofs, brick end stacks. 2-unit central-staircase plan. 3-storey, 5-window range. Central 6-panel door with fanlight and painted moulded stone surround and moulded stone cornice. 12-pane sashes with moulded stone sills and segmental-arched heads with keyblocks to ground, first and attic floors. Plinth, painted limestone storey bands, deep moulded limestone cornice and plain stone-coped parapet. Central bay and strips either end break forward slightly. 2-storey brick extension to rear with catslide roof. Single-storey wing to rear left. Interior has fine closed well staircase with turned balusters from ground floor to attic; half cellar in well. Stone cellar. One original veined marble chimneypiece with fluted keyblock. Eared wood fireplace surround in upper room. Fitted cupboard with shaped shelves. Some panelled dados.

{2} Mid 18th century house. 2-unit central-staircase plan. 3-storey, 5-window range. 2-storey brick extension to rear. Single-storey wing to rear left.

{3} Undated photo.

{4}[Former list description] *C.1700. 3-storey, sandstone house with symmetrical front of 5 windows, 2:1:2; shallow central breakforward and a giant pilaster at both ends. Plinth, platbands between the storeys, (these continue across the pilasters) heavy cornice and a deep parapet screening a steep pitched early tiled roof, substantial contemporary brick chimney stack on both gables. The windows are later sash, with moulded wooden cases in shallow reveals with segmental arch heads and keystones, joining the platbands and moulded cills. There is a good panelled door, fielded panels and a fanlight, plain reveals, with a simple moulded architrave and cornice. 2 stone steps to the doorway. There is a later C.18 extension at the rear. Interior, canvas covered walls; early central staircase with moulded handrail.

{6} Dendrochronological survey was undertaken as part of the wider survey of vernacular architecture in Towcester. Three samples formed a 149-year site sequence dated to the period AD 1565–1713. One sample retained complete sapwood and had a felling date in the winter of 1713/14. The other two samples were likely felled at the same time indicating that the house was built in 1714 or shortly afterwards.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 13/183 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F08 p.83 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Photographs of buildings in Towcester (Photographs). SNN114425.

<4> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) Dist.of Towcester R.D. Northants. July 1949 34 (Report). SNN112993.

<5> Vernacular Architecture Group, 2000, Dendrochronology Database (Digital archive). SNN116200.

<6> Martin Bridge and Cathy Tyers, 2023, Highcroft House, 157 Watling Street West, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Tree-ring Dating of Oak Timbers (Report). SNN117089.

Record last edited

May 15 2026 8:47AM