Swan Inn

The Swan Inn is a late 16th-century timber-framed and plastered building located on Bank Street in Braintree. It features a cross wing at the south end and is designed in an L-shaped plan, with a long wing extending east on Swan Side. This eastern wing retains most of its original features and is considered the most interesting part of the building.

The west front has been significantly altered and consists of two storeys, with the upper storey jettied at the south end, now displaying sham timber-framing. The north end, which is No 26, has a roughcast upper storey and a 20th-century shop front on the ground storey. Originally, the entire front was jettied. The building has a four-window range, featuring two double-hung sashes with glazing bars in flush cased frames, and two casements, one of which has glazing bars.

The south front showcases original exposed timber-framing. The first storey includes one double-hung sash with vertical glazing bars and small original casements on either side under the eaves, which have square mullions set diagonally and are now blocked. The ground storey has a blocked doorway with an ogee-headed lintel.

The east wing, which is set back from the south front of the cross wing, is jettied on the upper storey and also features exposed timber-framing. It has a two-window range of double-hung sashes with vertical glazing bars. In the centre of the first storey, under the eaves, there are original casements with square mullions set diagonally, which are now blocked.

The extreme east end of the wing was raised later in the 16th century to create a cartway through the ground storey, supported by arched bracing. The bressumer of the upper storey is engraved with the initials EWW and the date 1590. The roofs are tiled.