51-53, HIGH STREET

BROMYARD

815/1/205 HIGH STREET 25-OCT-51 BROMYARD 51-53 (Formerly listed as: HIGH STREET BROMYARD 42 AND 42B)

GV II A multi-phase urban building with its origins in the C16, remodelled in the C18, and altered in the C20.

MATERIALS: The principal façade is in rendered brick to the upper floors and has a C21 shop front on the ground floor. The rear elevations are in rubble stone. It has a slate roof and brick chimney stacks.

PLAN: The front range of building is orientated in line with the road, from north-west to south-east. It has three bays, the middle of which is narrower than those either side. There is a two-storey rear bay, perpendicular to the front, with a brick addition housing a staircase.

EXTERIOR: The three-storey building has two C21 shop fronts at ground-floor level with similar stylistic features as other shops on the High Street. At first-floor level are four six-over-six hornless sash windows in recessed reveals with projecting cills. At second-floor level there are three hornless sashes with four-over-four lights either side of a three-over-three central window. INTERIOR: Not inspected, but this description has been informed by the Insight Historic Buildings Research report (2009). It has been extensively replaced and reordered. There are fragmentary remains of elements of a timber frame in the front of the main range. The roof dates from the C16 or early C17. There are four main trusses with two collar beams, struts and v-struts.

HISTORY: It is likely that the building originally had two-and-a-half storeys with a timber-framed front and stone rear. It was refronted in the C18 and later the front eaves were raised and the three second-floor windows were inserted, as is evident within the roof space. There has been extensive internal reordering; it is likely that there was originally a single doorway and staircase in the central, narrow bay. The ground floor shop fronts have been replaced in the C21 with a design similar to others in the High Street.

SOURCES: Dalwood H and Bryant V, An Archaeological Assessment of Bromyard - The Central Marches Historic Towns Survey 1992-6 (2005) - http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/projArch/EUS/marches_eus_2005/downloads.cfm?county=herefordshire&area=bromyard&CFID=1543698&CFTOKEN=53188440 - Accessed on 18 August 2010 James D, Insight Historic Buildings Research, An Analysis of the Historic Fabric of Fifty Buildings in the Central Area of Bromyard, Herefordshire (2009)

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: Nos. 51-53 High Street, an urban vernacular building with C16 origins and C18 and later phases of renovation, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural: it retains a coherent historic façade above the modern shop fronts * Historic interest: it contains an intact roof structure dating from the late-16 or early C17 * Group value: it contributes to the historic street scene and has group value with its neighbours and many other listed buildings on the High Street