Nos. 23 and 27 High Street

Nos. 23 and 27 High Street is a multi-phase corner building with origins in the 16th century, refronted in the 18th century, and subsequently extended. It now comprises two shops with accommodation above.

The principal façade is brick, partially painted with stone detailing. Internally, the three bays to the south-east are timber framed with brick infill. The rear is rough stone with timber weather boarding to the gable tops. The northern bay and its extension are brick. The roof is covered in clay and composite tiles with brick chimney stacks.

The building occupies a corner plot with its main range running parallel to the High Street in a north-west to south-east alignment. Further bays extend perpendicularly along New Road. There are four main bays, each double depth with gabled ranges projecting to the rear of the three southerly bays. The fourth rear bay is a pitched range running parallel with the High Street. To the north is a narrow fifth bay that curves around the corner onto New Road.

The principal elevation is roughly symmetrical and divided in half to form two properties. The three left-hand bays are of equal size; the fourth bay to the right is slightly wider. Each bay has a pair of windows on the first floor and a single window on the second floor. The windows on the left side are casements of eight lights to the first floor and four lights to the second floor. The windows on the two right-hand bays are two-over-two sashes on the first floor and three-over-three sashes on the second floor. All windows have plain brick flat arched lintels. A stone capped parapet conceals the pitched roof.

At ground-floor level are two shop fronts. The left-hand shop front has a plain 20th-century fascia above a two-panelled plate glass window with a glazed return to a set-back doorway reached by stone steps. Modern doors to either side provide access to accommodation above and to No. 25 High Street to the rear. The right-hand shop front comprises six sections. The right-hand three form a distinct symmetrical frontage with two large glass windows with glazed canted returns either side of a central doorway. A plinth with a moulded cill and moulded curved pilasters at the outer edges of the windows extends across this section. The three left-hand sections are divided by vertical timbers, with a fixed light window in a moulded frame and stone cill in the central section; elsewhere the infill is brick. A plain fascia runs the length of this shop front, terminating in a single moulded console on the right.

The façade curves around the corner onto New Road. The left-hand bay is a continuation of the shop front at ground-floor level, arranged symmetrically with three plate-glass lights with decorative marginal glazing bars flanked by moulded pilasters. A downward-sloping fascia with a moulded cornice terminates in moulded consoles. Two canted oriel windows with eight lights each are positioned at first-floor level. The right-hand range features a modern door and two sash windows to the first floor, each with moulded hoods and projecting stone cills.

The rear of the building contains various extensions to the historic structure, comprising three gabled ranges projecting from the main front range, a pitched range, and a flat-roofed range at the New Road side.

Internally, the 16th-century timber frame of the three southerly bays is visible at both ground and first-floor level, displaying stopped chamfers and large beams. In the corner shop are various Victorian features including moulded panelling, shelving units, and cast-iron window columns, along with a moulded console matching the style of those on the exterior. The flat above contains the end truss of the 16th-century timber frame with diagonal bracing timbers. Throughout the building there is evidence of 20th-century internal reordering.