The Nags Head Public (Number 20) House And Attached Walls, Railings, Gate And Overthrow

The Nags Head public house, located on Hose Main Street and Harby, is likely of 15th-century origin, with alterations from the early to mid-17th century, an extension and alterations in 1722, and later 20th-century changes. The building is timber-framed, with extensions in coursed squared ironstone, and has a slate roof, brick ridge, and end stacks. It is a two-story, three-window range, originally a hall house of two bays with a cross wing.

The main range, parallel to the street, has a 20th-century door to the right of centre and a three-light casement window to the right. The ground floor is constructed of coursed ironstone rubble, while the first floor features timber framing with plastered infill between the studs. To the left of centre is further coursed squared ironstone with a 20th-century ground-floor window with a wood lintel. A gabled dormer window sits to the left of centre, and another similar dormer is positioned at the far right. The cross wing has a gable end wall of coursed ironstone rubble with a three-light casement window on the first floor, featuring a wood lintel and a limestone datestone inscribed "1722" and "DW."

The left side of the cross wing exhibits stone walling on the ground floor and timber framing on the first floor, characterised by pairs of diagonal braces set in square panels. The stone-coped gable includes kneelers. An attached brick wall projects to the right of the door and is broken by railings flanking wrought-iron gates, hung on timber with a wrought-iron overthrow.

Inside, the hall range’s roof features an arch-braced collar truss with chamfers to the braces and crown post. The cross wing’s roof has king posts. The entrance opens into a cross passage, beyond which is an inserted stone stack with an open fireplace on the ground floor, featuring a chamfered bressummer. A stop-chamfered spine beam is present in the inserted floor. The building is reported to have originally functioned as a priest’s house.