Bures Antiques

Bures Antiques is a house that has been converted into a shop, dating from the late 15th century. It features a timber-framed structure with plaster and painted brick, topped with a roof of red clay tiles. The building has an L-shaped plan, consisting of four bays facing south, with a left wing of three bays extending to the rear. There is one axial chimney stack and another at the rear end. A single-storey flat-roofed extension was added in the 20th century. The building stands at two storeys.

The facade includes twin shop windows and a 19th-century door, along with two early 19th-century sash windows with 12 lights. On the first floor, there is a splayed oriel window with late 19th-century sashes arranged in a 2-4-2 light configuration, and three early 19th-century sash windows with 12 lights.

Inside, the building features an underbuilt jetty on both street elevations, supported by a dragon beam. The beams in the front range are moulded, with one boxed in, while all joists have a horizontal section that is chamfered with step stops, and are jointed with unrefined soffit tenons. In the rear wing, the beams are also chamfered with step stops, and most joists are plain. The rear end bay has a lodged floor with plain joists arranged longitudinally. All posts are chamfered with step stops and have jowls. Some close studding is exposed on the first floor, and one section features a 16th-century framed ceiling with unusual roll-mouldings on the beam.

The roof was destroyed by fire. Historically, this building occupied an important corner site in the 15th century, with the road to the left leading up the southwest side of the River Stour towards Lamarsh and beyond, interrupted by Secretaries Farm before 1777, as shown on the Chapman and Andre map.