Timber Framed Building

A timber-framed building, likely dating from the late 17th century, now used as commercial premises. The building has seen alterations over time. The exterior is a mix of exposed and internal timber-framing, with sections of brick, weatherboarding (now largely obscured by corrugated metal sheeting), and breeze block rendering. The roof is covered with corrugated iron sheeting.

The building is single-storied with a double-pitched roof, originally featuring three bays with its east gable facing what was formerly Water Lane. The east gable has a wide, blocked recessed window which was previously a large 20th-century shop window, and a blocked recessed entrance doorway to the right. A visible wall-post, mid-rail, and braces are present, connecting to a tie beam with stud infill above and below. The west gable retains portions of the southwest wall-post and mid-rail set against a brick and breeze block wall. The north elevation displays complete wall-posts and braces to the wall-plate on both sides of the central bay. A wide doorway with a metal roller shutter has replaced what were formerly large boarded doors. Rendered walling is visible on one bay, and weatherboarding with braces and stud infill is seen on another, with the internal construction obscured behind the corrugated metal. The south elevation shows old brick walling, largely removed in the west bay, along with a bricked-up segmental archway in the central bay. Wall-posts and a wall-plate are visible, showing signs of fire damage and being sawn off in the west bay. The east bay is not visible externally.

Inside, the building features principal-rafter trusses with pegged braces connecting wall-posts to tie-beams, and wind braces (most now missing) to the original single trenched purlins on each side, supporting a diamond ridge beam. The purlins have stopped-splay scarf joints. A modern nailed board purlin has been added above and below the original purlins, while the ridge beam and purlins are sawn off in the west bay, which is now unroofed. A modern workshop with breeze block walls and a timber ceiling has been built into the lower portion of the east bay and is not considered of special interest.

The building is designated at Grade II for its impressive late 17th-century timber-framed construction, the significant proportion of original fabric it retains, and its rarity as a building type in the area. Despite damage and loss of timber framing in the west bay, the layout of the three-bay building remains visible.