Monument record 977/6/1 - Former house at 42 Main Street (Craddock's bakery)

House with 18th century origins but revised and updated in the 19th and 20th century. The original house seems to have been constructed from squared, coursed lias which has been rendered on the front elevation. The gable ends of the house have been rebuilt in brick. The roof is tiled. The house is of two storey and is built to an L shape plan. The rear of the house is a brick detached barn. The house and barn were assessed for designation in 2012 but failed to meet the required criteria. Now demolished.

{1} The earlier reference to the baker here notes him as being one Thomas Minards in 1876.

{2}{3} Craddock's bakery. Baking ceased in the early 1970s.

{4} The earlier reference to the baker here notes him as being one Thomas Minards in 1876. Minards previously ran a bakery on Gold Street in Northampton, in 1854. By 1890 however, Frank Parker had taken over, and he is listed as baker until the last available trade directory of 1914.
The site (containing the original C18th house) lies on the north side of Main Street occupying a large rectangular plot on land which extends to the rear, bounded on the east and west by residential plots and to the rear by irregular open gardens and areas of trees. The 19th century saw a change of use of the site as a whole with the addition of the former bakehouse at the east end, which was previously demolished, as well as a further outbuilding and the coach house later in the century.

{7} 42 Main Street appears to date originally to the C18, as a dwelling. It underwent at least one major phase of alteration in the C19, as well as more minor changes in the C19 and C20. From the evidence available it appears to have been built originally of cob and squared coursed has but was enlarged with a two-bay brick-built extension during the C19, judging from the size and type of bricks used. The roof was then raised, again probably in the C19, to allow the creation of a full first floor; this is most likely to have resulted in the removal of much of the original roof structure, and helps to explain the different roof covering to the house. In addition, a number of small lean-to additions were apparent to the rear and fenestration has been replaced in both the C19 and C20 but the rear lean-tos have subsequently been demolished.
Some rooms within the house retain ceiling beams, although lack of detail makes it difficult to date them precisely. The inglenook fireplace appears to have been altered and it is unclear how much of the original fabric survives. Although the original stair survives it is uncertain how this relates to the configuration of the C19 interior.
On the 1885 Ordnance Survey map it occupies the same footprint as it does at present.
The end gables of the house have been rebuilt in brick, possibly at the time the extensions to the east were added, probably in the C19. The roof of the house is tiled with a ridge and gable stack.
The house is a two-storey building that is single-depth and L shaped in plan.
EXTERIOR:
The main house is two-storeys and three bays wide with the main entrance in the right-hand bay. The windows at first floor are timber casements, with central opening lights. Those at ground-floor level have brick sills and timber lintels. The west and central bays comprise nine-light timber casements, and are probably C20 replacements, with top opening lights. The right-hand window is similar but of six-lights. The door also has a timber lintel, and is half-glazed with six lights separated by timber glazing bars. To the rear is a brick, lean-to extension with a steeply-pitched slate roof and large chimney. There does not appear to be any independent external access to this part.
INTERIOR:
The entrance opens into a through passage with doors to either side; one provides access to a small room to the east and eventually to the two-storey extension. The other leads into the west end of the house. Given that a full internal inspection of the building has not been possible to date the internal plan is difficult to establish. Photographic evidence suggests that in one ground-floor room a large inglenook fireplace, possibly with a bressumer beam, survives. Other features of note are a single, mid-late-C19 register grate fireplace; two late-C18 or early-C19 plank and batten doors with strap hinges; and what appear to be oak tread, winder stairs.

{8} The assessment structure comprises a fairly narrow house fronting directly onto the road. Technical analysis revealed what, in its original form, would have sat comfortably with the late 17th century and 18th century buildings of the village. It comprised an original fairly modest two-cell unit built of the vernacular material of the area including lias stone and cob walling with a large chimney stack at the east end, with a steeply pitched thatched roof. It appears that shortly after construction the building was extended by a further bay to the east in similar materials but with small but marked differences in construction. This presented an interesting phase of work which reused ecclesiastical decorative stone pieces. At this time the historic core appears to have been refurbished, the ceilings rebuilt and lined out in with reed straw and plasterwork, a later application than the earlier lath and plaster seen in places.
The 19th century saw a change of use of the site as a whole with the addition of the former bakehouse at the east end, which was previously demolished, as well as a further outbuilding and the coach house later in the century.
Sadly the 20th century saw the re-roofing of the building and the degradation of a number of historic elements including early doorways and windows, although one early door survives at upper level. Nevertheless 42 Main Road remained an early and interesting house within the village representing the development of a modest house over time.
The house is aligned east-west with the main façade fronting the road. It is of three-cell form, rising over two storeys to a pitched roof covered in peg-tiles. The south elevation is cement rendered and covered with pebble-dash, though the east and west gables are of brick, as are the two chimney stacks rising through the apex of the roof. Both stacks have been rebuilt above apex level in rustic Fletton brick. Much more detail is given in the report, along with illustrative material.

<1> Harrod & Co., 1876, Harrod & Co's Directory of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire, p.1029 (unchecked) (Directory). SNN109701.

<2> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, p.29 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2011, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire (2nd Edition), p.31 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN107622.

<4> Collins, T., 2013, 42 Main Street, East Haddon, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording, p.4+6-7 (checked) (Report). SNN109700.

<5> 1890, Kelly's Directory (1890), p.610 (unchecked) (Trade Directory). SNN109734.

<6> 1914, Kelly's Directory (1914), p.100 (unchecked) (Trade Directory). SNN109735.

<7> English Heritage, 2012, English Heritage Advice Report: 42 Main Street, East Haddon, (checked) (Report). SNN108581.

<8> Collins, T., 2013, 42 Main Street, East Haddon, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording, p.4-18 (part checked) (Report). SNN109700.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 7:17PM