34 And 35, Church Street

Nos 34 and 35 Church Street, Harwich

A substantial house of mid to late 16th-century origin with 17th-century extensions and a mid-18th-century front. The building is timber-framed with a red brick front in Flemish bond and a clay tile gabled roof, arranged over two storeys with attics and cellars.

The front elevation displays a moulded brick modillioned cornice with a raised brick band between storeys. The upper floor has two gabled dormers behind a panelled parapet, now partly reduced. The facade contains a four-window range of double-hung sash windows with original thick glazing bars and flat rubbed brick arches topped by projecting rubbed brick keystones. The central section of two windows breaks forward slightly. The south-eastern recessed portion features an elaborate doorcase with a six-panel door and panelled reveals, framed by fluted Roman Doric pilasters with a pediment above a frieze decorated with roses and sunflowers between triglyphs. A second early-19th-century door surround with fluted architrave and six-panel door appears in the equivalent recessed position to the north-west. The overall character is similar to Nos 36 and 37 nearby.

The timber frame of the mid to late 16th century occupies two bays with jowled posts and a lodged side purlin roof incorporating arched wind bracing. The structure was probably originally jettieed.

The interior reveals considerable complexity. The first floor contains two chambers, the north-western chamber featuring double quadrant mouldings to the tiebeam and ceiling spine beam soffits. Wall bracing of serpentine form, interrupting the studs, represents probably a very early example of this technique. An original door opening between chambers has a plain lintel head and flat chamfers to the northern room. The contemporary brick-lined cellar includes a flight of steps to the yard and twin chamfered spine beams with flat-section joists featuring soffit tenons and diminished haunches. The 16th-century interior does not conform to the conventional house plan of the period.

A substantial 17th-century stack stands against the rear wall, apparently related to a two-storey 17th-century rear extension. The stack contains a first-floor stone fireplace with a cambered arch of two pieces. Rectangular carved panels display strapwork, grotesques and foliage, with moulded jambs featuring vase stops. Above the fireplace sits a panel of grey painted bands.

The 17th-century rear extension incorporates jowled posts and the remains of exceptionally long frieze windows with moulded mullions and glazing rebates, now mostly reused elsewhere. The ground floor was probably a kitchen with a fireplace in the base of this contemporary stack. To the south-east lies a lean-to, formerly with similar mullions and probably contemporary. A similar lean-to to the north-west is later.

The rear elevation is now rendered under a clay tile gabled roof. Ground-floor rooms feature good-quality mid-18th-century panelling, including a panelled partition to the entrance passage. Each ground-floor room contains a fireplace with evidence of short pilasters above mantel shelves. The southern room retains a moulded overmantel frame in situ. Behind the entrance passage is a semicircular-arched opening with moulded imposts and panelled pilasters. A 17th-century painted overmantel panel depicting an unidentified mansion, formerly in situ, is now in storage. The upper landing retains a length of 18th-century staircase balustrading with moulded handrail and turned balusters. Part of a bobbin reel overdoor ventilator screen survives on the ground floor.