4, MERCERS ROW (See details for further address information)

This is a shop with living accommodation, dating back to the 15th century, with a wing added in the 16th century, an early 19th-century shop front, and 20th-century alterations. It is located on King Street, Saffron Walden.

The building is timber-framed, plastered, with brick at the rear, and has a peg-tiled roof. It has two storeys and an attic, forming an 'L' shape. The north-facing front elevation has two windows on each floor. The first floor has sash windows with moulded architraves and glazing bars (3x4 panes). Above are segment-headed dormers with early 19th-century sliding sashes (4x3 panes) and a lead roof. Deep eaves are supported by shaped brackets. The ground floor features an early 19th-century shop front extending across the full width, with a central doorway flanked by shallow bay windows with curved ends, thin glazing bars, and roll-moulded sills (8x4 panes). One window has been restored in the 20th century. The wooden framing incorporates grooves and pulvinated pilasters, with acanthus consoles. The fascia and cornice have delicate leaf and dart moulding. Lower window bays are brick and colourwashed, with segment-headed recesses. The doorway has upper glazing (3x3 panes) and a lower moulded fielded panel. The rear, south-facing, elevation to Mercers Row shows the 'L' shape clearly, with a timber-framed gabled wing at the west end, featuring original projecting horns (though with 20th-century bargeboards). There are 20th-century renderings and three first-floor casement windows. A lean-to stair block is situated to the west, and a 20th-century weatherboarded addition extends across the full length of the principal range’s roof. A central 3-light casement window with glazing bars (6x3 panes) is located on the first floor. A deep clay-tiled lean-to with a rendered brick wall incorporates a fixed shop window with glazing bars (7x3 panes). A similar slated lean-to is attached to the projecting west wing, with a shop window (6x3 panes) partially obscuring the stair block. The internal angle between the wing and the principal range has a 20th-century doorway in a rudimentary classical style; the door has upper glazing (3x3 panes) and a lower moulded panel.

Internally, the ground floor timber frame of the original range is late 15th century, consisting of two bays, originally jettied to the street and supported by heavy flat-laid joists with soffit tenons. The rear wall of the east bay shows evidence of a former 3-light mullioned window with a shutter groove. The west bay retains an original stair trap and a later inserted trap. The rear wing to the west bay has later 16th-century timber framing with diminished haunched housed soffit tenons. The first-floor framing reflects the ground floor evidence, with exposed principal framing and jowled posts. The rear of the west bay shows weathering and a shutter groove, indicating that a wing was added. Both ranges now have side purlin roofs; the later wing is constructed of oak, with purlins trapped by collars.