30, 31 AND 31A, HIGH STREET

This is a late 18th-century building fronting onto the High Street, comprising Nos. 30, 31, and 31a. The building's facade is of red brick with a stone band separating the first and second floors. A moulded wooden eaves cornice sits beneath a slate roof. The building is three storeys high, with the top storey being a slightly later addition. Originally, the facade presented a four-window arrangement, with keystones above some of the windows, though several windows have since been altered. The ground floor has 19th-century shop fronts, each featuring a cornice, architrave, and bay projecting either side of the central doorways. The glazing bars have been lost. Pilasters have been added to the north side around the doorway. A central doorway provides access to Bennett's Yard at the rear, and is topped with a fanlight and a flat hood supported on moulded brackets. The rear elevation of No. 30 displays two earlier gables. No. 31a is located at the rear of No. 31 and forms the end section of a rear cross wing. This building demonstrates group value, contributing to the character of the High Street.