71, Castle Street

SAFFRON WALDEN

TL5338 CASTLE STREET 669-1/1/85 (North side) 28/11/51 No.71 (Formerly Listed as: CASTLE STREET No.71 Castle Inn)

GV II

House, formerly the Castle Inn. Late C16, refronted and interior reconstructed in early C18, restored in C20. Timber framing, plastered, some red brick, peg-tiled roof. L shaped plan of original street range and rear wing with secondary addition in rear internal angle. 2 storey and cellar. Front, S elevation: red brick, remains of tuck pointing, gauged brick window dressings, good voussoirs, moulded and modillioned timber eaves, hipped roof with end stacks. 6 bays, string course between floors. All windows now have C19 horned sashes. Front doorway, third bay from E, has flat hood with console brackets, 6 panelled door, lower panels flush, cellar trap doors towards W end. Front wall has wrought-iron stay for inn sign in centre. W end elevation, brick front range, timber-framed and plastered short rear wing housing stair, as one with modillioned eaves continued from front across elevation. Further continuation with deep catslide roof at N end with red brick stack through roof pitch. One C20 casement window on first floor of street range, another at mid height in stair tower, small 2x2 paned window at junction with rear unit. E end elevation: timber-framed and plastered, brick front wall clearly added. No features except modillioned eaves cornice. Rear, N elevation: complex, comprising 4 elements stepping forward, all rendered. (1) high stair tower with adjacent stack. (2) in front, broad gabled block with ground floor C20 2-light window and C20 3-light window above. (3) lower gabled unit in front of (2), on E side with lean-to doorway with catslide roof. C20 door with upper glazing, 2x3 panes, upper window in gable, 2x3 panes. (4) weatherboarded lower single storey unit continues to N with simple end lean-to at N end. INTERIOR: principal rooms have good early C18 panelling of both fielded and shallow ovolo types, also some contemporary fielded panelled doors. Early C18 stair in stair tower has moulded handrails and turned balusters. Both principal ground floor rooms have late C16 moulded bridging joists, at E end roll and hollow chamfer with bar stops, W end with double rolls. Rear wing also late C16, timber framing exposed, first floor removed but joints remain of 3-light diamond mullioned window. Roof of wind braced side purlin type. Brick arched doorway leads fron rear range down to cellar below principal range.

Listing NGR: TL5377838742