Post Office And Village Shop

GREAT OAKLEY

1874/0/10008 THE STREET 07-OCT-04 Post Office and Village Shop

II Shop with residence. C17 or earlier house, re-fronted in late-C18 including shop, and with C19 and C20 alterations and additions. Timber framed core, with rendered brick facade, and wood and glass shop-front.

PLAN: 2-bay front with shop at ground floor and residence above and behind.

EXTERIOR: Main elevation with ground floor late-C18 shop front comprising central doorcase flanked by pair of rounded advanced shop windows. Continuous cornice with diamond and dentil decoration to base of frieze. Central doorcase with recessed door of 4 panes flanked by pair of fluted pilasters beneath ogee brackets supporting flat hood. Shop windows of 5-over-5 large panes above wood plinth, and fluted pilasters under shallow console bracket to outsides. Lower door to left of shop-front under hood supported by pair of console brackets.

INTERIOR: Ground floor with exposed beams, some chamfered and some with redundant joist mortises, and joists to both front bays. Surviving framing to first floor includes beam with central posts, joists, and original front wall plate. Plank and 4-panel doors to first floor. C19 extension to ground floor rear with fireplace and pair of glazed doors set in splayed panelled surround. C20 additions to side and rear not of interest.

An elaborate and well-preserved late-C18 shop front, with a significant amount of framing from the or earlier house behind.