Building record 3884/46/1 - No.29 & 30 Sheep Street (The Tudor Restaurant)

{1} Two houses, now restaurant. Reputedly of medieval origin but mainly late C16, restored early C20. Squared coursed ironstone and timber frame with thatch roof. L-shape plan with central carriage arch. 2 storeys. Main front of 3-window range. No.29 has part-glazed door with flight of steps and canted bay window with stone base, to left. No.30 has a ribbed door with 2-light wooden casement to left. Oversailing first floor is timber framed, now plastered. Central first-floor window is flanked by 2-light casements; all with leaded lights. Central gable flanked by 2 smaller gables. Rear wing is similar, all of stone. Interior: No.29 has a small open fireplace with a bressumer and chamfered ceiling beams. Some original roof timbers may remain.

{5} The building probably dates to the C16th/17th. In the mid C19th it was a centre of the basket-making industry with workshops to the rear of the property. In 1920 the upper floor of the building was extensively restored and altered.
The building is currently used as a Chinese Restaurant, which is being altered. As part of this work an opening was created in the back wall. Prior to the C19th this wall was external. It currently forms the dividing wall between the restaurant and the old workshop [Mon 3884/46/2].
The work of creating the new doorway was monitored, but no features of architectural note were revealed. Within the rubble coursed wall lay three timber planks. In the rubble next to the lowest of the planks was a newspaper dating to c.1962 which indicates that the wall was altered at this time.

{7} Two undated photos;

{8} Photo dated 4th May 1963;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 11/149 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G04 p.68 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<3> Palmer J.; Palmer P., 1974, A History of Wellingborough, (unchecked) (Book). SNN101875.

<4> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.456 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<5> Upson-Smith T., 2001, Buildings Recording At The Tudor Restaurant, 29/30 Sheep Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, p.1-2 (checked) (Report). SNN100910.

<6> Wellingborough Heritage Centre: Building History, (unchecked) (Archive). SNN105975.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Wellingborough (Photographs). SNN115387.

<8> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Mar 12 2025 2:18PM