The Porch House

SO 3288 BISHOP'S CASTLE C.P. HIGH STREET (west side)

12/48 Nos. 33 and 35 - (The Porch House) 28/7/50 GV II* House, latterly shop. C17 with C18 and early-C19 alterations and additions, and mid- to late-C20 partial 'restoration'. Timber framed with rendered infil panels, roughcast to left with coursed limestone rubble plinth, ground floor to right rebuilt in red brick with mid- to late-C20 steel posts, and slate roof, hipped to left; coursed limestone rubble rebuilding and additions to rear with graded slate roof in 3 hipped ranges. L-plan; cross passage off-centre to left with 'hall' range to right and 2-room lower end to left. Framing: square panels with parallel diagonal framing forming lozenge patterns. Basement, 2 storeys and attic. First floor with continuous jetty, latterly underbuilt but recently 'restored' to right with steel brackets, recently re-exposed carved bracket to right with carved head and remains of shaft below, and carved bressumer; jettied eaves with carved brackets and shafts below; gabled dormer to right with slate-hung sides and 2-light leaded casement; stone stack behind ridge off-centre to right with late-C19 brick top stage, and brick stack on transverse ridge to left at rear. 3 first floor diamond-leaded mid- to late-C20 casements, 3-light in centre and 4-light to outside; 4 ground floor mid- to late-C20 diamond- leaded casements to right of 2 and 3 lights; early-C19 lean-to one- storey addition to left with 2 ground floor glazing bar sashes, 4-part mid-C20 shop window and 4 flush-panelled door in angle to left; C17 studded boarded door off-centre to left with strap hinges, 4 cusped openings in head (probably mid- to late-C19 alteration), shaped head with carved scrolled spandrels, and moulded architrave; shaft to left up to carved jetty bracket with carved head; 5 steps up to porch with jettied gable, bracketed bressumer with carved decoration and dated E ? 161? V-struts in gable above, seat within to right and 3- M light casement to left. Lower 3 storey bay to left is structurally part of No. 31, High Street (q.v.); roughcast with slate roof; jettied first floor, shaped bracket to right, and evidence of former jettied second floor; ground floor boarded double doors. Interior: close-studded cross passage walls with middle rail; doors off cross passage with arched lintels and carved spandrels; recently introduced (July 1984) probably late-C19 panelling in 'hall' range; probably c18 or early-C19 painted medallion of castle on wall of first floor room to rear. This is one of the most important and sumptuous C17 houses in the town.

Listing NGR: SO3232788928