36A And 38, Market Hill

A pair of houses, dating from the 18th century, situated on Market Hill in Maldon. The houses are timber-framed and rendered; the rendering on number 38 is of ashlar quality. They have gambrel (peaked on two sides) plain tile roofs with a central stack (chimney) along each ridge.

The houses are two storeys high, with an attic space and cellar. The facade has a two-window arrangement. Number 38 has a 20th-century two-storey rear extension with black boarding on the first floor and a flat roof. The front elevation features two gabled dormers and moulded eaves. The first floor windows are 16-pane sash windows with moulded surrounds. Each house has a segmental bow window with 24 panes, thin reeded pilasters, roundels, and a wrought-iron bracket underneath. The cornice and fascia (overhanging edge) of the bow window on number 38 is original, while that of number 36A has been repaired. Each house has a pedimented doorcase (decorative surround) with a moulded architrave. Number 38 has four stone steps, a wrought-iron handrail with boot scrapers, and a five-panel door dating from the early 19th century. Number 36A has two stone steps and a 20th-century door.

The rear of number 36A features two flat-roofed linked dormers and a 16-pane sash window on each floor. It also has a rear door and a nine-pane fixed window on the ground floor, in addition to the sash window. Number 38 has a gabled dormer and a 16-pane sash window on the first floor, plus a ground-floor door.

Internally, the houses appear to be a deliberately designed pair, built at the same time as number 36 but with differing internal layouts. They have two separate chimney stacks, each with a back-to-back fireplace and central partitions beneath the valley (where the roof slopes meet). Straight-flight staircases are located in each rear corner, and original features include muntin-rail partitions (vertical bars dividing window panes) and panelled rooms in number 38.