40, 42 AND 44, CHURCH STREET

This is a group of three buildings, numbers 40, 42, and 44 Church Street, in Deeping St. James. The core of the building dates to around 1688, as indicated by the inscription "RSM 1688," though it has undergone alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries. The construction utilizes coursed limestone with a graduated stone slate roof, and Welsh slate on number 44. The building has an irregular, H-shaped plan, reflecting various phases of construction.

The central section (number 42) retains 17th-century features, including a chamfered plinth and a moulded ashlar surround to a cross-boarded door. To the left of the door is a three-light window with ovolo-moulded mullions, casements, and horizontal glazing bars, under a continuous dripmould. Matching first-floor windows appear in differing masonry with quoins to the left, and a single-light ovolo-moulded window beyond. A small brick ridge stack is located to the right of the door. The right-hand end of the building has a hipped roof with two brick stacks at eaves.

A probably 18th-century gabled wing to the front right (number 40) features irregular quoins. On the front, there is an earlier wing with a part-glazed door flanked by shop windows with stone cills, channelled wooden pilasters, a fascia, and a cornice. The first floor of this wing has a three-light mullioned window similar to those elsewhere. Ashlar gable copings with a finial top this wing. A mid-19th-century gabled wing to the left (number 44) incorporates a segmentally-arched door to the right of a plain shop window. Above this, a two-light transomed casement has an arched head with a keystone, along with an illegible date plaque and ashlar gable copings with a finial.

At the rear, number 42 has a blocked window and doorway beneath a dripmould, incorporated within a later lean-to. A rear wing mirrors the front with a mullioned window, along with two other windows to the main range.

The interior of number 40 has a chamfered spine beam within the shop area. A doorway leads to number 42, which contains a winder stair and two rooms with ovolo-moulded transverse beams. The left-hand room features a flag floor and an inglenook fireplace with a stone heck and a moulded wooden bressumer. On the first floor, 17th-century plank and muntin room partitions are now wallpapered. The loft space is said to retain floorboards from a former attic storey. Number 44 is interconnected with numbers 40 and 42 and is included for group value.