Building record 396/0/17 - No. 37 High Street

A two storey house of coursed ironstone rubble constructed in the early 18th century. It was originally a 3 unit lobby entrance house with a central stack and another stack at the west end. The original roof covering was probably thatch. A large bay window was in evidence on the 1885 suggesting that the house may have been used as a shop in the 19th century. In the later 20th century the bay window was removed and a single storey porch added to the front. At the same time the rear extension was rebuilt . The thatch roof was replaced with slate in circa 1950. The house was listed Grade II in 1987 but was de-listed in 2010 following an interior inspection and full inspection of the exterior in comparison with historic photographs.

{1} House. Early C18. Datestone JFE/1734 on left side. Coursed ironstone rubble, squared quoins, slate roof, brick stack to right. 2 storeys and attic; 4 bays. C20 stone porch across two left bays has doorway to right and two 2-light casement windows to left. Two windows to right with old wood lintels and C20 two-light casements with transom. Similar windows to first floor. Coped gable ends with kneelers. Interior not inspected.

SMR note: De-listed 13/02/2009

{3} The house was built in the early 18th century and there is a 1734 date stone in the east gable. It was originally a 3-unit lobby entrance house with a central stack and another stack at the west end. A photograph of circa 1930 shows it with a thatched roof and a large bay window to the left of the door. The bay window is also in evidence on the Ordnance Survey map of 1885, suggesting that the house may have been partly converted to use as a shop in the 19th century. In the later 20th century the bay window was removed and a single storey porch added across the front door and window bay. At around the same time the rear extension on the west side, visible on the 1885 map, was knocked down and rebuilt on a larger footprint. Several other phases of alteration and extension occurred in the 20th century, the most damaging of which was the replacement of the original roof structure circa 1950, as seen in a historic photograph. The thatch was replaced with slate and the upper section of the central stack removed.

A much-altered house of coursed ironstone rubble with squared quoins, a modern slate roof, and a shortened brick stack on the west side. It is two storeys high with an attic, and four bays wide. The north-facing main front has a 20th century stone porch across the two left bays with a modern doorway to the right and two modern casement windows to the left. The other six windows on the front elevation (four up, two down) are all modern casements with modern timber lintels - not old wood as stated in the list description. The two lower windows have concrete sills and the upper windows have had their openings heightened. The top three or four stone courses are additions dating from the time of the roof replacement. The gable parapets protrude disproportionately above the roofline, again as a result of the roof replacement. The east gable end has a date stone 'JFE 1734' at the top but has been altered in height and has had a garage built against it, blocking the ground floor window. The west gable end has also been altered, with a window inserted. Most of the south side of the house is obscured by a single-storey toilet extension and a large two-storey flat-roofed extension with conservatory.

Inside the front porch there is a pair of panelled doors which, although dating from the 19th century, were clearly salvaged from elsewhere as they do not appear in the circa 1930 photograph of the house. The lobby beyond these doors has been opened up to double height. Partitions and doors on the ground floor have been removed. The central stack on the ground floor has been significantly rebuilt, including rebuilding of the fireplaces on both sides. Historic fabric in the east room is limited to a chamfered bressumer and a chamfered axial beam which now rest on brick piers. The ceiling joists and boards on this side are modern replacements, and a modern staircase has been inserted. On the west side the two rooms have been opened up into one, with the floor of the end bay substantially lowered into the cellar space. The bridging beams are modern replacements. There are some 19th century shutters, a cupboard and a plain staircase up to the first floor. On the first floor there are fragmentary remains of the 18th century house: some partitions, timber lintels to rear windows, a lathe and plaster ceiling, some low-quality axial beams and partial oak flooring. The roof is entirely modern; the only historic remnants are two altered truss frames and two low purlins which no longer form a structural part of the roof. The central stack does not survive above first floor level.

37 High Street, Braunston is recommended for de-listing, for the following principal reasons:
* This early 18th century house has undergone successive phases of damaging alterations to the remaining original fabric
* The surviving remnants are too fragmentary to be considered of special interest
* The roof structure and covering were replaced in the 20th century, and a number of insensitive extensions added
* The interior, which was not inspected at the time of listing, does not have any features of sufficient interest to offset the considerable alterations.

{4} Photo dated 12.5.1963;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 19/103 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F04 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<3> ENGISH HERITAGE, English Heritage Listing File, Heritage Protection Adviser, 24th October 2008 (Report). SNN111579.

<4> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Dec 18 2024 2:49PM