11, Castle Street

This is a house comprising two adjacent units, situated on Castle Street, Saffron Walden. The western half of the building dates to the mid-16th century, while the eastern half was constructed in the late 16th century. The property is timber-framed and plastered, with peg-tiled roofs. The plan is T-shaped, incorporating a street-facing range and a later rear addition. It extends to two storeys and includes a cellar.

The South-facing front elevation displays notable characteristics in each unit. The eastern unit features a central bow shop window supported by brackets, with a deep, plain upper frieze containing six-over-four panes. Doorways are positioned on either side, each protected by a shaped hood supported by console brackets carved from wood. The western door is currently unused, featuring a moulded frame and a six-panel door with the lower four panels fielded and the upper two recessed. The eastern doorway has a simpler design with a six-recessed-panel door. A c.1900 two-light window is centrally placed on the first floor of the eastern unit, with a roll-moulded frame and a central stile, alongside casements with four-over-four panes. The western unit’s jetty details are now obscured by plaster, with coved eaves. A c.1900 rectangular bay window with glazing bars (one-over-three fixed, three-over-three sash, one-over-three fixed) occupies the ground floor of the western unit. Remnants of shutter hinge recesses and a moulded rail remain at sill level, indicating the former presence of shutters. A sliding sash window with six-over-two panes is located on the first floor of the western unit. An additional single-light window is found in the projecting eastern end wall.

The rear, North-facing elevation of the street range features a two-over-two paned casement window at the eastern end. Ground floor gabled additions, partly timber-framed, with peg-tiled and slate roofs, incorporate 20th-century detailing. A central 20th-century stable-style door with upper glazing (three-over-two panes, three-over-four panes) is present, alongside a boxed-out sash window with four-over-three panes. A brick stack behind the addition has been rebuilt using Fletton bricks.

Internally, much of the original timber framing is concealed, but the ground floor of the eastern unit reveals late 16th-century oak ceiling joists, laid flat with diminished haunched tenons. A stair trap frame is located at the rear. An exposed end wall between the two units displays studding belonging to the eastern unit. The roof of the eastern unit exhibits a wind-braced, trapped side purlin form, continuing into the adjacent property at No.13. A stack on the rear wall of the street range within the western unit displays some 17th-century brickwork with a timber lintel. Both ground and first floor rooms are lined with cyma moulded dado panelling. A good quality, late 19th-century cast-iron fireplace is found on the first floor. The roof has been rebuilt to a simple side purlin type. The cellar contains old brickwork and cobble walling.