Building In Yard To Rear Of Numbers 40 And 42

LEOMINSTER

SO4959 BROAD STREET 808-1/1/74 (East side) 31/08/89 Building in yard to rear of Nos.40 and 42 (Formerly Listed as: BROAD STREET Building in yard to rear of No.40)

GV II*

Possibly built as lodgings or guest house, later stables, now outbuildings and stores. Late C15/early C16 with later alterations. Timber-frame and weatherboarding with some brick infill; corrugated-iron roof, with plain tiles to rear pitch. 3 bays, possibly originally extending to the north. Further later range to left, and C17 range to north-west. 2 storeys; various openings and entrances, with passageway to left. Queen strut truss in gable. Projecting timbers beyond bay 3 may indicate position of stair cell. INTERIOR: bay 3 is open on ground floor and all 3 bays on upper floor divided to provide separate rooms, access to which was from a gallery and open walkway on the west side. An inner wall-frame encloses them on this face and the upper rooms were additionally enclosed from the roof by a ceiling which spanned from a central beam to the E and inner W wall plate. The mortice slots for the floor beams and jowelled heads of the supporting central stud survive in each truss. On the ground floor, bay 2 widened by a close-studded partition which encroaches into bay 3 by approx 1m. E wall-frame close-studded at ground floor and is randomly framed with square panels on upper floor. Each upper-floor room had a window overlooking the garden, of which one survives in W wall-frame of bay 3. Bay 3 has door-head to gallery. The open wall-frame of W elevation consists on first floor of worn balcony rail close-studded between it and the girding beam, on ground floor of chamfered posts on stone plinths, each post braced to the girding beam. 4 trusses, 2 of which collared below upper purlins, 2 are simple raking struts from tie-beams to principals. Both internal trusses had closed partitions but no sign of inner framing on first floor to either of the 2 outer trusses. It is unlikely that such large openings could have been infilled with wattle and daub panels and there is no sign of stave holes, so building was either originally extended by bay at each end or built alongside other structures now gone. Surviving timbers projecting beyond bay 3 may indicate position of a stair. Good quality timber-frame with all main members intact and largely in good condition. Remarkable for its 1st-floor external gallery, extending across full west front. Original purpose of building unknown, but a range of a medieval courtyard inn or guest house for nearby Leominster Priory (qv) have been suggested. The rooms are unheated, so permanent lodgings seem unlikely, but a commercial use is possible, although some distance from street frontage. May be survival of a rare medieval building type. (RCHME: Herefordshire: 120 (55)).

Listing NGR: SO4963659254