Building record 755/0/31 - 54 High Street

A stone parlour block, probably completed in the mid 17th century, at one end of a three bay cottage. Subsequently becoming a fully two storied, three-bay dwelling.

{1} Analysis, plan & photographs.

Undistinguished pebble-dashed walls under a clay-tiled roof and 20th century replacement windows disguise this building. There was a thorough rebuilding following a catastrophic fire in 1968.
The parlour, occupying the ground southern bay of the building has apparently survived. It is c3.5m wide and 3.9m long. A stopped spine beam bisects the room and a fire beam with similar stops defines the hearth which has been infilled to provide a 20th century fireplace. The manner of the beam end stops indicates a mid 17th-century date, but may be misleading. Local testimony indicates that a staircase originally rose beside the hearth.

An early 20th century photo shows that a thatched roof covering a cottage which was brick at the north end and stone at the south. The southern bay is of stone two storeys high with a clear straight join on the first floor, where it continues in brick over a stone wall at the base. The northernmost part of the building is completely of brick. The bonding of the brickwork is irregular, in some places showing only headers, in others only stretchers and sometimes mixed. When this photograph was taken, probaby 1950s, the building was two dwellings with northern one named 'Tudor Cottage'.

<1> de Broise A., 2005, The Whittlewood Project: Historic Buildings Survey, Whittlebury (Report). SNN105036.

<2> Woodfield, P, 2003, The Whittlewood Project: Phase 1 rapid survey of all buildings within the 12 parishes of the survey, identifying buildings that have, or are likely to have, fabric dating from before 1700 (Report). SNN116636.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2024 8:54AM