4 And 5, Common Hill

4 and 5 Common Hill is a house located in Saffron Walden, dating from the early 17th century, with alterations made in the 18th century and refurbishment in the 20th century. The building is timber-framed and plastered, featuring 20th-century panelled fan combed pargetting, a peg-tiled roof, and red brick stacks. It has a rectangular plan and consists of two storeys, attics, and cellars.

The front elevation faces east and has three windows and two doorways. There is a ridge stack towards the south end and a 19th-century external stack at the north end. On the ground floor, there is a central triple sash window with glazing bars arranged as 1x4, 3x4, and 1x4 panes, with a door on each side. The doors have flat cornice hoods, one featuring a recessed panelled architrave and frieze. The doors are both 20th-century, one with six fielded panels and the other with upper 3x3 paned glazing. The north and south ends each have a 20th-century restored sash window with 5x4 panes.

On the first floor, there is a central 19th-century window that was originally a sliding window with three lights of 3x3 panes, a similar window at the south end, and a 20th-century 3-light casement window at the north end to match the others. Above, there is a ramped slated 2-light casement dormer window. Cellar lights are located below each ground floor window.

The rear elevation, facing west, has somewhat scattered windows, all of which are 20th-century casements, except for one first-floor window at the south end, which is a 19th-century sash window with margin glazing comprising 5x5 panes and decorative blue and white glass in the margins.

The north end elevation is plain with a central external stack, while the south end elevation shows evidence of raised eaves with projecting wall plates and lower level side purlins visible in one roof pitch. There is a single light ground floor casement window and weathering board at the eaves level.

Inside, the jowled posts, tie-beams, and wall plates from the first phase of construction are clear, although the interior framing has since been removed. The principal stack dates from the 18th century and features a ground floor timber lintelled fireplace with a reused lintel facing south.