26 and 28 St John's Street

26 and 28 St John's Street is a late 15th-century building, likely originally constructed as a speculative commercial development comprising three shop units with associated accommodation. Later additions to the rear date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the entire building was restored in the late 20th century.

The building is an oak timber-framed structure with wattle and daub infill panels and a pitched roof covered in plain clay tiles. There is a brick chimney stack and brick additions to the rear.

The building originally comprised a two-storey, single pile range with cellarage, sub-divided into three units, now combined into a single unit. A doorway on the right-hand side provides access to a side passage leading to the rear yard. The rear of the building now has a three-bay, two-storey addition, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, creating an overall L-shaped plan.

The principal street-facing elevation features a late 20th-century shop front, which incorporates some elements of an earlier 19th-century shop front, primarily pilasters and cornicing. The jettied first floor has close studding (largely renewed) with pairs of arch braces to each bay and wattle and daub infill panels. Three inserted six-over-six hornless sash windows are housed in exposed sash boxes to the first floor. A brick stack is inserted at the right-hand end.

The rear elevation contains a central stair bay, possibly dating from the 17th century, and now encased by a 19th-century single-storey lean-to. A three-bay, two-storey addition from the 18th and 19th centuries extends from the right-hand bay.

The interior retains much of the original timber framing, with jowled wall posts supporting wall plates and tie beams with braces. In the north-east bay of the ground floor are chamfered axial beams. The north-east end wall has widely-spaced vertical struts with numerous peg holes, which may have supported shelving or panelling. A partial partition wall remains, and further framing may be concealed beneath later finishes. A possible 17th-century doorframe, accessed by three stone steps, is within the rear wall of the central bay. To the left, a further 17th-century doorframe with a cambered head provides access to the staircase, which is largely 20th-century. A vaulted brick cellar retains shallow stone troughs.

The roof structure consists of four trusses with principal rafters, tie beams, cambered collars, and three vertical struts. Double rows of purlins have wind braces connecting the principal rafters to the upper purlins. Common rafters may survive above later boarding. The trusses appear to have always been closed with stone, wattle, and daub infill panels.