44, Friar Street

This is a late 16th/early 17th century house, now used as offices, located on Friar Street, Worcester. It has undergone later additions, alterations, and major repairs, including a reworking of the front elevation by F.W.B. Charles in 1983/84. The building is timber-framed with rendered infill on the ground floor and stucco on the first floor. Its rectangular plan is two bays wide, with the long axis running perpendicular to the street. Because the building lacks flank walls, it is largely supported by its neighbours, which must therefore predate it.

The building is two stories high with a cellar, and contains two first-floor windows. The ground floor has renewed close-studding, while the jettied upper storey retains the original bressumer and joists. Early 18th century 6/6 flush sash windows, each with a moulded architrave, are present on the first floor. A shop window and planked door were added during the 1984 restoration to the right side of the building's facade.

The interior retains some small square timber panelling, believed to have been installed by Dud Dudley in the mid 17th century. This panelling originally covered painted acanthus leaves on the first-floor party walls, believed to have been executed shortly after the house's construction.

Historical records suggest the house was occupied by Dud Dudley, who ran the family ironworks and is said to have perfected a method of smelting iron using coal instead of charcoal. Dudley published "Metalium Mastis or iron made with Pit-coale, Sea-coale etc." in London in 1665, and is also associated with Nash House in New Street.

Originally, the building had a gable facing the street, with a jetty (overhanging upper floor) at the first floor and possibly also at the tie beam. Later, the roof was altered so that its eaves were parallel to the street, matching those of its neighbours. The building was in poor structural condition in the 1980s, prompting F.W.B. Charles to reinstate the original facade based on remaining evidence.