40 And 41, Broad Street

WORCESTER SO8454NE BROAD STREET (South side) Nos.40 AND 41 620-1/16/118 08/3/74 GV II . 2 houses, probably originally with shops, now shops and flats over. Numbered right to left, described left to right. C16/C17 with probably earlier medieval origins and later additions and alterations including refacing probably of late C18, shop fronts mid C19 and restorations c1980s. Timber frame with pinkish-red brick facades at left and red brick at right, all in Flemish bond with red gauged brick flat arches and stone keystones at left, renewed plain tile roofs, that to right with double pitch. 3 storeys plus attics, 2+1 first-floor windows. First floor has two 6/6 sashes with flat arches with keystones and sills; then a 10/10 sash with cambered arch over; second floor has two 6/6 with flat arches with keystones and sills; then a 5/10 sash with cambered arch over; all windows in flush frames. Modillion bands over second floor to each house. To left a roof-light; to right attic storey has replacement 6-light casement window. Ground floors have restored Victorian shop fronts with outer pilasters, fascias and cornices with outer 'corbels', panelled aprons, plate glass windows canted in to central entrances, part-glazed doors with lower fielded panels. Right return rebuilt. Rear: replacement 8/8 and 3/6 sashes, all under elliptical arches. INTERIOR to left at basement and ground floor an exposed sandstone wall; first floor has exposed small rectangular panels of timber-framing with arch braces; said to retain further timber-framing to second floor. To right the ground floor has similar exposed panels of timber-framing to ground floor and said to retain extensive exposed timber-framing to upper floors. HISTORICAL NOTE: the shop fronts were removed from buildings elsewhere in the town and restored with a grant from English Heritage; they have become the models for several other restoration and facsimile shop fronts in the historic town. The basement stone wall may relate to pre-Reformation Dominican monastery buildings. Several houses in Broad Street are known to have C17 and earlier origins (Nos 32, 40, 41 and 57 (qqv)). 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 (qv), ~t contained the business premises of a number of important traders and at least two inns'. All the listed buildings in Broad Street form a significant group: Nos 10, lOA (with Crown Passage) 11, 12, 18, 19, 29, 30, 33-36 (consecutive), 40, 41, 43-49 (consecutive), 51-63 (consecutive), 69, 70, and Church of All Saints (qqv). (Hughes P: No. 57 Broad Street, Worcester: Report for Worcester City Council: 1991 -)