148 and 150 High Street (EHER 30118)

A 14th century timber framed house, now a shop and a house. It has 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century alterations. The roof is covered with handmade red plain tiles. The building is on a complex plan.

May 1953. Grade II* listed. A 14th century timber framed house, now a shop and a house. It has 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century alterations. The roof is covered with handmade red plain tiles. The building is on a complex plan comprising (1) two-bay hall range facing north-west; (2) a 15th/early 16th century two-bay service crosswing to the left, extending forwards; (3) an early 16th century two-bay extension to the rear of the left crosswing; (4) an early 16th century long service range to the rear, faced with brick on both sides, (5) a 14th century three-bay parlour/solar crosswing to the right of the hall, extending forwards; (6) a 19th/20th century single-storey extension to rear of it, weatherboarded and roofed with corrugated iron; (7) a 20th century lean-to extension beyond, weatherboarded and roofed with corrugated iron; (8) an 18th century two-bay wing to the right; (9) a single-storey lean-to extension to rear of it, roofed with interlocking concrete tiles. The hall range, left crosswing, and extensions to it comprise no. 150; the right crosswing and extensions to it comprise no. 148 (Orchard House and Post Office). <1> <2> See photos <3> <4>. 150 High Street Frontage range comprises former open hall and service crosswing of a 14th century double crosswing house. The parlour wing forms part of the adjacent property. The raising of the hall roof has destroyed all evidence of the original roof. At the high end of the hall is an ogee headed parlour door in the close studded wall. Mortices for a draught screen to the door and for a fixed bench survive. The service crosswing has been extended to the rear during the C16. The first 3 bays of this 5 bay range are narrow two storey construction. First bay contains a large hearth (kitchen), whose size suggests cooking on a commercial scale. The next two bays used for storage and provided access to an unheated 3 bay chamber on 1st floor. The end 2 bays have single aisles and spatially equates to an open hall, however it use remains unclear. <5> During the C16 two C15 buildings were conjoined by adding to the original hall to the south and building a large crosswing which was connected to the C15 building to the north. As there is evidence of fire damage to the south crosswing, suggesting a bay was lost, it may be suggested that the C16 building was not a bridging exercise but a replacement for a original structures joining the post office and chemist. <6> (22) House, now two tenements, 100 yards N.E. of (21), was built in the 15th century with a central hall and cross-wings at the N.E. and S.W. ends. The N.E. wing was extended at the back early in the 16th century. Inside the building the original hall has no ancient features but in the S.W. wall is an original doorway with an ogee head. The N.E. wing has original moulded ceiling-beams and joists, and in the N.E. wall is an embattled wall-plate and a fireplace with moulded jambs and depressed arch. The upper storey has an original cambered tie-beam with one curved brace. The S.W. wing has also original tie-beams. <7> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data transfer.