57, High Street

House. Dating from the mid-17th century, with later 17th and 19th century alterations and additions. The ground floor is mainly of narrow red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, now painted, while the first floor is timber-framed and plaster-rendered. The steeply pitched roof is now covered with cement tiles. A prominent original end stack has diagonally set shafts, largely incorporated into the gable end wall which was raised in the 19th century, with upper courses of 19th century brick. The main range originally ran north-south with a gable end facing the road, and included a service crosswing at the south end. A single bay was added to the road end in the late 17th or 18th century, and in the 19th century a kitchen addition filled the courtyard. The house was remodelled in the 19th century, with the original south crosswing, formerly a kitchen wing, becoming a parlour. The roof was raised, creating two storeys and an attic. The brick gable end displays two distinct building periods, indicative of the roof raise. Two gable dormers are present. The first floor timber-framing, which dates from the 19th century roof raise, is plaster-rendered. The ground floor brickwork sits on a brick plinth with a moulded upper edge. There are two twelve-pane hung sashes on the first floor, and a single tripartite hung sash on the ground floor. A doorway is located on the left-hand side.

The original north-south principal range retains similar 17th century brickwork on the ground floor and a 17th century timber-framed first floor. This section is also two storeys and attic, with one dormer on the east side. An original doorway, now internal following the construction of a 19th century kitchen in the courtyard, leads to the former hall. A small 18th-19th century brick hearth is a feature throughout the house. A wing was added to the road end in the late 17th or 18th century, featuring brick casing to the framing and roughcast rendering on the first floor and a tiled roof. This section comprises one bay, two storeys and has horizontal sliding sashes. The 19th century additions are of grey brick and slate. A boundary wall of clunch, with narrow red and paler bricks, adjoins the house. The east end of the wall exhibits a pattern in burnt bricks, possibly of earlier date.

The interior hall reveals a straight joint indicating two periods of construction. Large dressed clunch blocks are visible in part of a wall. Visible framing and roof are of late 17th century date. Most of the detail is from the 19th century, including a mid-19th century grey marble fireplace surround inserted into the former 17th century kitchen. A 17th century stop-chamfered main beam is present at first floor level; other main beams are boxed. There are two raised and fielded panel doors with H or L hinges. R.C.H.M. West Cambs., mon(4)