SNN116598 - mages from Historic Building Recording Work at No. 87 High Street, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, August 2021

This collection comprises images from historic building recording work at No. 87 High Street, Wollaston, Northamptonshire. The work was undertaken by Border Archaeology in August 2021. The programme of Archaeological Standing Building Recording to Historic England / RCHME Level 2 related to proposed alterations to a Grade II listed building. No. 87 High Street Wollaston is a Grade II listed single-storey stone-built cottage of early 18th century date with late 20th century alterations. The exterior is roughcast with a recently renewed thatched roof. The existing fenestration appears to have been heavily renewed in the late 20th century; while the entrance porch is also a modern addition. The internal arrangements at ground floor level have been subject to extensive modern alteration, with the insertion of a brick partition wall to create the existing suite of rooms, as well as the raising of the ceiling as evidenced by a series of joist slots incised on an exposed cross-axial chamfered beam. The staircase to the upper floor appears to be of 20th century date although its location is probably historic. The majority of fixtures and fittings within the ground floor also appear to date to the extensive internal refurbishment of the house during the late 20th century. However, several exposed structural timbers including the central cross axial chamfered ceiling beam and a supporting post and cross beam are indicative of the original layout. Few features of note were noted within the upper floor, the internal arrangements having been modified following raising of the floor level, while the roof space has also been heavily refurbished. The programme supported by limited documentary research, has reached the following conclusions briefly detailed below: The premises at No. 87 High Street Wollaston is a Grade II listed single-storey gable ended stone-built cottage of early 18th century date. The exterior is roughcast, and it has a recently renewed thatched roof with a decorative ridge and finial. The roof is surmounted by a central ridge brick chimneystack in the southern gable wall which appears in its present form to be of 19th century date. To the rear of the building is a single storey stone-built outbuilding and well which appear to be of late 18th/19th century date with modern additions; however, these lie outside the scope of the current programme of works. The internal arrangements at ground floor level have evidently been subject to extensive modern alteration, with the insertion of a brick partition wall to create the existing suite of rooms, as well as the raising of the ceiling as evidenced by a series of joist slots incised on an exposed cross-axial chamfered ceiling beam. The newer square-cut ceiling joists sit on top of this beam. The existing staircase leading to the upper floor in its present form appears to be of 20th century date although its location may well be historic and may point to the former location of a central service room between the two compartments at ground floor level, or a central chimneystack with back-to-back fireplaces (long since vanished). The majority of fixtures and fittings within the ground floor such as the internal doors, leaded casements and the existing fireplace surround with timber lintel in the south wall also appear to date to the internal refurbishment of the house during the late 20th century. However, a number of exposed structural timbers including the central cross axial chamfered ceiling beam and a supporting post and cross beam appear to represent vestiges of the original internal layout. Few features of note were observed within the upper (attic) floor, the internal arrangements having been presumably modified following raising of the floor level. The layout consists of a central landing with bathroom, flanked by bedrooms to the north and south; the main, southern bedroom having a fireplace in the south wall. Two partially exposed beams and rafters were noted in the landing and main bedroom. The roof space has similarly been subject to alteration. The existing roof structure is of simple collar and truss construction with collared rafters and trenched purlins. The majority of the principal rafters have clearly been substantially renewed or replaced altogether. Despite this, at least two pairs of substantial older trusses, possibly of modified cruck type, were noted within the roof structure and continuing into the attic floor below. The first pair of trusses is located directly above the access hatch to the roofspace and would originally have been jointed at the ridge. The second set of trusses are located towards the northern end of the roof space, and again showed evidence for having originally been jointed at the ridge. It is unclear whether these trusses represent part of the original construction of the cottage or possibly were re-used from an earlier structure.