79 79A 79B, HIGH STREET

This is a former inn range, now a shop with flats above, dating from the 17th century, with alterations made in the 19th and 20th centuries. The building is timber-framed, with a stucco-faced exterior and an old tiled roof featuring a large gable end facing the street.

The front elevation has two sash windows on the first floor, and one in the attic, all with flush glazing bars and exposed window boxes. The ground floor incorporates a mid-20th century shop window framed by yellow brick piers and large display windows, with twin entrance doors set between timber pilasters and a large flat board fascia. A two-story rear outshoot, originally numbered 79A and 79B, is constructed of colourwashed brick with an old tiled roof. The east elevation of the outshoot has two triple-light sash windows with glazing bars on the ground floor. A recessed central door is sheltered by a moulded hood supported on cut profiled brackets, and to the left is a single-bay, single-story timber-framed structure with an old tiled roof.

The ground floor interior has been opened up. Exposed ceiling beams remain, one showing a stop-chamfered spine beam with run-out stops, indicating an earlier timber-framed origin. A dog-leg newel staircase of late 17th-century construction is located at the rear of the main building, featuring a close string, moulded handrails and string, cut profiled splats, and newels with square moulded caps and pendants. The staircase is now cut off above the first floor. The attic, now included with numbers 79A and 79B, has a side purlin roof. On the first floor, exposed and cased beams are visible, including one with a stepped stop to the chamfer. Two 2-light windows face west, with ovolo and cavetto moulded frames and mullions.

The building was formerly known as The Star Inn, recorded in 1542, and was later incorporated with the adjoining Bell Inn at numbers 77, 77A and 77B. This section of High Street is locally known as ‘Starcross Row’.