5 And 7, Church Street

House, now divided into three shops and a flat, dating from the late 15th century and around 1600. Timber framed and plastered, with some exposed framing and some 19th and 20th century painted brick nogging. Roofed with handmade red plain tiles and a 20th century single-storey lean-to extension to the rear, roofed with red clay pantiles. Two storeys.

The building comprises a 2-bay main range facing south-east with central stack, dating to around 1600, and a 3-bay crosswing to the right, dating to the late 15th century. The rear bay of the crosswing was altered in the 19th or 20th century.

The ground floor contains three 20th century shopfronts, with that in the crosswing designed in Tudor style. The first floor has three late 19th century casement windows set in original framed apertures, together with a middle half-glazed door and two fully glazed doors.

The main range is jettied with an attached moulded fascia, repaired at the right end. The studs above are exposed, all original except one at the right end which bears a clear series of carpenters' assembly marks numbered 1 to 16, with no visible bracing. The crosswing is jettied at a slightly lower level, with exposed joists of horizontal section and three restored brackets. The exposed studding above features 'Suffolk' bracing, mostly original with minor restoration. The tiebeam has continuous roll moulding, and there is a high collar to the crownpost roof. The eaves of both ranges align. The studding of the crosswing is exposed at the rear and both sides. The right wall of the rear bay has been substantially altered and is now out of line with the rest, appearing as a later extension with brick infill, though the internal structure confirms the crosswing was originally three bays throughout. The gablet of the main range above the roof of the crosswing is tile-hung.

Interior of the main range features chamfered axial beams with lamb's tongue stops, plain joists of square and vertical section, and blocked hearths. In the central panel between the two shopfronts is an internally exposed blocked flank window with missing mullions. The posts are jowled. An early 17th century inserted ceiling comprises chamfered axial beams with step stops and plain joists of vertical section (except one of horizontal section at the right end). The roof is a clasped purlin design without wind-bracing. Most rafters of the front pitch have been severed at mid-point with others added above. Some rafters are smoke-blackened from earlier use in an open hall.

The crosswing has chamfered binding beams with step stops and plain joists jointed to them with unrefined soffit tenons. One plain bracket 0.10 metre wide is attached to the front internal binding beam. This beam has mortices for a missing post and brace near the left end, with mortices and wattle grooves for a former cross-entry to the left. The rear internal binding beam has mortices and wattle groove for a former continuous partition, indicating the structure was originally designed with a shop occupying the front two bays. A blocked stair trap is present in the rear bay. The wallplates have edge-halved and bridled scarfs and are chamfered with step stops. There are two cambered tiebeams and one plain brace 0.10 metre wide. The front two bays were originally open, with a studded partition between this area and the rear bay, now missing. The roof is a crownpost design with axial bracing.

On the left side of the crosswing is a clear outline of the former open hall, which was originally low with eaves at present first-floor level. Within the former roof the studs are smoke-blackened, while above it they are heavily weathered.