SNN111663 - 8 Watling Street East, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording, Level 2

In September 2015 AS carried out historic building recording at 8 Watling Street East, Towcester, Northamptonshire in order to fulfil a condition of listed building consent. The building represents an interesting historic building that has been altered and extended a number of times since construction, and preserves much historic fabric and many fixtures and fittings from each phase. Originally constructed in coursed ironstone to a pitched and parapetted pitched roof at a date around 1700, the appearance of the street front range can be reconstructed and comprised a series of five window bays at upper level with a central entrance below and flanking windows corresponding to those at upper level. However, the window apertures in the second and fourth bays are blocked with ironstone that is well-executed and matches the surrounding fabric, while the existing internal arrangement respects the current window pattern. The original roof structure remains in good condition, being constructed all of oak incorporating both a lower through-purlin system and an upper clasped side pur/in form with collars. Range 2 extends to the north-west along the street front and is of similar ironstone construction, preserving its 18th century roof structure, but otherwise has been much altered particularly to the rear in the 2dh century. A very early 19th century two-storey brick-built range (Range 4) was added to the rear, and finally a campaign of expansion and refurbishment saw the addition of Range 3 that provided fine reception rooms and refurbished the interior of the earlier ranges. 20th century changes saw the loss of some historic fabric, but its use as a hostel and the dry-lining of most surfaces with new partitions and services allowed the preservation of many historic fixtures and fittings that miaht otherwise have been lost.