Building record 2853/0/88 - No.22/24 West Street

A late medieval cruck hall house located on the northern side of West Street. The medieval hall was subdivided and altered during the 16th, 17th 18th and 19th centuries and was used as three separate dwellings until the mid 20th century. The building is constructed of squared coursed limestone with a Collyweston slate roof with gable chimney stacks and a large lateral stack with two flues. The main south western elevation has a cross gable to the left, the lateral chimney stack and a two window range of casement windows beneath two catslide eaves dormers.

{1} House. Medieval origins, C17, C18 and C19. Squared coursed limestone with Collyweston slate roof. Originally hall house now a U-shaped range. 2 storeys. Elevation abutting West Street is a C19 two-window range with blank gable end of cross-wing, to left. C19 style casement windows under wood lintels. C20 door to centre is also under wood lintel. Elevation to left of cross-wing is a 3-window range. 2-window range, to centre and left, has C19 style casements, under wood lintels, at ground floor an Lincolnshire dormers at eaves. Casement window to first floor right, with glazing bars, under wood lintel. Lateral stone stack, to left of centre, has 2 ashlar flues with moulded cornice. Brick and stone stack at end. Gable end of rear range attached to far left. Rear range, originally medieval hall, is now truncated. One-window range of C20 windows, gable end to right is a similar 2-window range. Rear elevation has a 3-light stone mullion window. Interior: first floor of rear range, has cruck with one arch-braced collar, curved wind braces and shaped saddle supporting ridge piece. Range linking front and rear wings has raised cruck. 2 open fireplaces at ground floor. The medieval hall was probably subdivided C16 or C17. Used as 3 dwellings until mid C20. (RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p102)

{4} Undated photo, also another undated photo showing Nos. 18, 20, and 22/24;

{6} The Level 2 historical building recording was undertaken on the barn to the rear of 22 and 20 west street. The barn was built in the sandy coloured local limestone with welsh slate roofs and mullion windows.The barn is rectangular with a 40 degrees duo-pitched roof. The plan of the building is approximately 7m wide x 9m long. The roof is clad in asbestos sheeting over a timber rafter and purlin roof structure. The north, south and east walls are original 17th century and comprise of solid stone masonry c. 900mm thick up to 3.56m high. The walls are in fair condition, The north wall is bowing and leaning outwardly. The building is currently used as a garage. Apart from the western façade, the old barn holds a degree of evidential evidence as the original 17th century fabric, stone mullion windows and chimney flues survive in their original form. The first floor contains a surviving (albeit damaged) original 17th century double chimney flue with Victorian cast iron fireplace.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 12/142 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.74 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN40683.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 102 & fig 133 (Series). SNN77384.

<4> Photographs of buildings in King's Cliffe (Photographs). SNN112705.

<5> Historic England, Undated, 22 WEST STREET, KINGS CLIFFE, BF084169 (Archive). SNN114401.

<6> Dr Christer Carlsson, 2024, The Barn, 22 WEST STREET, KING’S CLIFFE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE LEVEL 2 HISTORIC BUILDING RECORDING (Report). SNN116659.

Record last edited

Nov 26 2024 3:05PM