30, 30a and 30b Church Street

30, 30a and 30b Church Street

A post and panel timber-framed building with painted brick panels, arranged around a courtyard plan. The front range dates to the late 16th century, with the north-west wing added or substantially remodelled in the 18th century and extended in the 19th century. The south-east wing and rear south-west range were added in the early 20th century.

The front elevation presents a two-storey range of three bays with a mid-rail, two corner and two central posts with convex braces in the central bay at upper floor level, and slender intermediate studs. Over half of the timbers have been carefully replaced, whilst the central posts bear Roman numeral carpenters' marks. The 20th-century central door is flanked by large 20th-century multi-paned fixed windows with timber glazing bars. The outer bays of the upper floor are lit by 18th-century three-light windows with leaded lights and replaced timber mullions. Both gable ends display exposed timber framing; some timbers in the left gable have been replaced, and all timbers in the right gable have been replaced due to alterations to the fenestration. The right gable contains a 20th-century door to the left and a central 20th-century large six-light window with timber mullions and transom, above which is a similar window with leaded lights.

The rear extensions comprise painted brick except the south-west range, which has exposed red brick with applied timbering. The roofs are pantile-clad except the south-east wing, which has slate. Red brick chimney stacks rise throughout.

The 18th-century north-west wing features irregular 19th and 20th-century fenestration including a bow window, segmental-arched window, 20th-century door, and semicircular-arched four-light window. The first floor is lit at either end by two-light casement windows, with a square oriel featuring leaded lights and tile-clad dormer head at the centre. Tall chimney stacks rise through the ridge on the left and at the gable end; the latter is crow-stepped with triangular stone caps and lit by narrow windows on both floors. The early 20th-century south-west rear range has applied timbering with brick panels to the first floor, some laid in herringbone. The ground floor consists of a wide opening with double-leaf glazed doors, flanked by full-height margin lights, with narrow single-light windows either side. Above is a single band of bricks in stack bond. The first floor is lit by a large central window with timber mullions and leaded lights, with a ridge stack on the right. The early 20th-century south-east range has its east half slightly higher than the west half, with a blank side elevation. The gable end is lit on the ground floor by a small horizontal window and on the first floor by a large window with timber mullions and leaded lights.

The interior has been considerably altered. Both floors of the late 16th-century range now have open plans. The ground floor retains some exposed timbers, including two mid-rails in the south-east side wall, and in the left-hand corner of the south-west rear wall, a post and lintel which may be the vestige of a former doorway. The front and north-west wall frames have partially obscured mid-rails. The mid-rail on the south-east side and four chamfered joists appear less worn and are probably replacements. At first-floor level, the timber frame is completely exposed. The wall plate on each wall frame is partially obscured but appears repaired in places with later timber. Whilst most studs, wall posts and braces survive, some have been replaced in the north-west and south-west walls, and all framing on the south-east wall has been replaced. These repairs employ good-quality materials, probably dating to the 20th century. A coupled rafter roof survives in vestigial form with some collars and purlins which, from their size and the fact they are nailed rather than pegged, appear to date to around the late 18th century. On the rear south-west wall (originally the external wall) at the south end is an 18th-century two-light casement window with leaded lights. Three 18th-century windows in this room retain their iron catches.

In the north-east corner of the north-west wing is the vestige of what was probably a back-to-back hearth, now blocked up, with only the cambered arch lintels and two posts exposed. Notable surviving elements of the 18th-century remodelling of this wing include a section of panelling painted white, which has raised and fielded panels with an incorporated small fireplace. The fireplace features a shaped mantel with a dentilled soffit, supported by brackets in the form of heavy, stylised foliage. At the end of the wing in what was previously the external south wall is a bow window with wide glazing bars.