Kings Head Hotel (EHER 38332)

A former hotel, recently converted to retail and residential. The building is timber framed, thought to be mid-late 15th century, and the remnants of a pair of semi-detached Wealden-type houses lurk within the present structure, each formerly consisting of a floored bay and a single-bay hall. The hall and westernmost part of one cross-wing are missing and their site is now part of the adjoining building. Adjoining the alley to east was a service range with an overshot cross passage and shop in its front room, with the room above probably the solar. The former hall has been virtually rebuilt. In the 17th century, it was converted into a jettied crosswing by raising the floor; probably at the same time a cellar was excavated, suggesting a conversion to commercial or service use at this time. The frontage range was raised in the early 19th century and some of the 15th century rafters reused. A two-storey range attached to the rear and fronting the western boundary contains a two-bay structure of the late 16th century. To the rear of this is a probable mid 17th century two-bay block. At right angles is an early 19th century block incorporating reused material from the old rear walls of the Wealden range. There are also several 20th century extensions to the rear. Summary from record 19076: Brick floor revealed during renovations

October 1951. Grade II listed. A substantially timber framed, part rendered, part painted brick and part weatherboarded hotel. It has a variety of roofs covered with plain tiles. The building is on a complex plan with a front range and a series of extensions to the rear. The frontage is of painted brick and is two-storeyed with a three-storey wing to the east. The two-storeyed part has a roof parallel to the street which is hipped to the west and abuts the three-storey wing to the east. A substantial 'T-plan' chimney stack, but with a curious rendered recess, rises from the junction of the blocks. The western part of the facade is slightly recessed and has a slightly bowed oriel window with flat roof on the ground floor. The first floor of the central bay has a segmental-headed blind recess and two windows sashes. An elaborate hanging sign with a wrought-iron bracket is mounted in the recess. The ground floor has a similar, vertically aligned, blind recess and a similar square oriel bow window. Bridging both bays is a Tuscan porch with thin painted timber Tuscan columns. The three-storeyed part to the east projects slightly and has a roof, hipped to the front, hidden behind a plain parapet. A canted bay rises through the lower two storeys and has a flat roof. The east flank, of three storeys, is covered with painted weatherboarding and the roof returns to a hip at the rear. The ground floor, here, has two door openings. The rear of the three-storeyed wing has a French window at second floor level leading to a 20th century metal fire escape. To the rear of this block is a 20th century flat-roofed extension with canted faces, linking to a rendered two-storey block placed parallel, but to the rear, of the main range. This has a plain tile roof. A long rear extension range runs down the western boundary of the site and links with the above block; the northernmost part of this is of two low storeys and built from 19th century red brick. The plain tile roof has two differing ridgelines, the southernmost part having been altered. To the rear of this is a 20th century single-storey block of red brick with a machine-made plain tile roof. The oldest surviving part is the frontage range which has remnants of timber framing of a pair of semi-detached Wealden-type houses, each formerly consisting of a floored bay and a single-bay hall. The hall and westernmost part of one cross-wing are missing and their site is now part of the adjoining building. The nature of the development and relatively poor quality timber suggests a speculative development of the early to mid 15th century. An early 17th century inglenook chimney stack now backs onto the former intruded cross-passage of the eastern unit. The frontage range was raised in the early 19th century and some of the 15th century rafters reused. The superimposed eastern wing is built of early 19th century softwood framing. The two-storeyed range fronting the western boundary contains a two-bay structure of the late 16th century. To the rear of this is a probable mid 17th century two-bay block. At right angles is an early 19th century block incorporating reused material from the old rear walls of the Wealden range. The eastern first-floor chamber of the frontage range has a late 16th century wall-painting consisting of an arcade of blue/grey paint over studs and infill. In the main range, a late 18th century staircase, which is continued to the attics by an early 19th stair. On the first floor of the main range are some 18th century panelled partitions and contemporary doors and architraves. A first floor room has an early 19th century corner cupboard with doors, arch-headed recess on pilasters and serpentine shelves. A room in the three-storeyed wing has a fireplace with shouldered architrave. <1> See photos <2>. November 1994. Watching brief. The remains of a brick floor were uncovered during excavations of a drainage trench in the restaurant. A sample section was drawn of the trench. (The plans and sections are with David Andrews. Context descriptions are on the section plans.) Beneath the concrete skim floor and its make-up, a brick wall (one course wide) was recorded. Different dump deposits were recorded on either side of the wall. The stratigraphic relationship between the wall and the dumps is unknown. There was no apparent cut for the wall; it seems possible that the dumps represent backfill on either side of the structure and perhaps indicate different functions or activities on either side of it. However it is equally possible that the construction trench for the wall was not visible and that the structure cuts the dump deposits. Beneath this was another dump layer which continued to the bottom of the section. There were no finds from these layers. At the base of the trench was a brick structure. Part of a floor, consisting of stretchers with the remains of a wall along the west, south and east extent of the floor. The function of this feature is unknown, it does not appear to represent a previous floor level, but it is too small to be a cellar. The presence of three apparent sides suggests that it is not a drain. To the north the feature had been cut by later activity. A number of clay pipes were retrieved from the surface of the floor by the contractors. These and two brick samples were sent for processing by the ECC Field Archaeology Unit. <3> A former hotel, recently converted to retail and residential. Remnants of one or possibly two Wealden houses lurk within the present structure. Adjoining the alley to east was a service range with an overshot cross passage and shop in its front room. The room above has blue-grey arcading and was probably the solar. The framing is mid-late 15th century and of mediocre quality. The former hall has been virtually rebuilt. The corresponding end is relatively complete, but not to an extent to determine whether it was a parlour and chamber or part of another Wealden. The occurrence of another pair of Wealdens at 160-164 (EHER 38368) High Street suggests the latter possibility. In the 17th century, it was converted into a jettied crosswing by raising the floor. Probably at same time a cellar was excavated suggesting commercial or service use. <4>