12,12a and 13, Akeman Street

Nos. 12, 12A, and 13 on Akeman Street are two houses that have been converted into two shops with a flat above. They date from the late 16th century or early 17th century. The brick fronts were added in the 18th and early 19th centuries in three stages, with the left-hand side of No. 13 dating from the 18th century. The buildings have timber frames that are infilled with red brick at the rear and faced in brick at the front, which is now painted, except for the upper floor of No. 12. The south flank of No. 12 is slate-hung. No. 12 has a slate roof with plastered eaves soffit, while No. 13 has steep old red tile roofs.

No. 12 is two storeys high with two windows on each floor and a central round-headed doorway that has been converted into a window, with a door now inserted in the left-hand window. The right-hand window is a shallow canted bay window with sash windows. Above, there are two recessed sash windows with flat gauged arches, stone sills, and 8/8 panes. No. 13 is lower, also two storeys, with three windows on each floor. It features corbelled eaves courses above nearly flush three-light casement windows. The left-hand window is 18th century with rectangular leaded glazing and a central iron casement, while the others are 19th century with divided lights. The entrance on the left is linked with a fascia to an early 19th-century canted bay shop window. There is a larger central shop window and a smaller one on the right with a cambered arch above. At the rear, there are two-storey gabled wings with exposed frames and casement windows. The interior of the upper part has an exposed frame and clasped-purlin roofs.