32, Broad Street

WORCESTER

SO8454NE BROAD STREET 620-1/16/115 (North side) 08/3/74 No.32 (Formerly Listed as: BROAD STREET (North side) Nos.32, 33 AND 34)

GV II

Probably house and shop, now shop with offices over. Probably 1638 for John Watts, possibly with earlier origins, and rebuilding to facade late C18; with later additions and alterations including c1980s ground-floor shop front. Reddish-orange brick in Flemish bond with dark-red gauged brick flat arches and stone sills and copings; concealed roof with end brick stacks with oversailing courses and pots. 3 storeys, 3 first-floor windows. 6/6 sashes to first and second floors, taller to first floor, and in plain reveals. Reproduction Victorian-style shop front with central glazed entrance. Further entrance incorporated at left, a 6-panel door with 3-pane overlight between pilaster strips. INTERIOR: ground floor completely renewed, otherwise not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: 'By the sixteenth century, Broad Street was second only to High Street in commercial importance. On the direct route through the city from the (Worcester) Bridge, it contained the business premises of a number of important traders and at least two inns'. Several houses on Broad Street are known to have C17 and earlier origins (Nos 32, 40, 41 and 57 (qqv)).

All the listed buildings in Broad Street form a significant group: Nos 10, 10A, 11 with the Crown Inn, 12, 18, 19, 29, 32-36 (consecutive), 40, 41, 43-49 (consecutive), 51-63 (consecutive), 69, 70 and Church of All Saints Church, (qqv). Nos 29, 32-36 (consecutive) and the Church form a further group with Nos 2-22 (consecutive) Bridge Street with No.2 Quay Street (qqv). (Hughes P: Buildings and the Building Trade in Worcester 1540-1650: PhD thesis: 1990-: 422-3; Hughes P: No.57 Broad Street, Worcester: Report for Worcester City Council: 1991-).