1A 2 2A 2B, East Street

WARE TOWN

TL3514SE EAST STREET 829-1/9/73 (North side) 14/03/74 Nos.1A, 2, 2A AND 2B

GV II

House, now subdivided with ground floor shops. C17, or earlier, with early C18 front, and C19 and C20 shopfronts. Rainwater head in centre of front dated 1709, with the initials J D, of the owner, Jonathan Dickinson. 2 further dated rainwater heads; one, 1740 on the Bluecoat Yard side, and the other, 1742, at the back facing New Road. Old tiled roof behind parapet, rear slope partly renewed in machine tiles, hipped roof to rear of No.2B facing Bluecoat Yard. One casement dormer above No.1A, one dormer with modern small-paned window, under red tiled hipped roof, facing Bluecoat Yard. Timber-framed, with facade of dark red bricks with cherry red dressing, plinth, first floor plat band, with moulded base, stepped up at each end under the first window. Second band also with moulded base, above first floor windows, parapet with stone coping. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attics. 7 first floor windows, 2 dummy recesses and 5 sashes with glazing bars, slightly recessed with exposed boxes and architrave surrounds, under rubbed flat arches, alternatively with plain and scalloped soffits. 3 early and mid C20 shopfronts and mid C20 glazed entrance door on ground floor. Rear of No.2B facing Bluecoat Yard has C19 yellow brick casing, sash windows with exposed boxes, and wood moulded eaves cornice. INTERIORS contain remains of early C18 panelling, with some fireplace surrounds, and cornices with dentil friezes. Rear of No.1A has tall parapet concealing roof, with first floor semicircular arch with central Portland stone keystone, and flanking flat arches for large Palladian or Venetian window, bricked up with red and yellow brick c1830, and small central sash window, with glazing bars, inserted beneath segmental arch. Rear outshoots, former servants' wing, behind No.2, separately numbered as Nos 5, 5A, 7 and 7A New Road (qv). HISTORICAL NOTE: development of this East Street site originally associated with Place House (qv), which lies to the north. In mid C17 acquired by the Dickinson family, London maltsters, bankers and brewers, who rebuilt the property early C18, and remained in residence until 1830. The building deteriorated during the late C19 and early C20 when used as a `tramps boarding house', becoming shops and a doctor's surgery after World War II. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N (rev. Cherry B): Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 379; Perman D: Ware UD. List of buildings of special arch or historic interest: 1993-: 23).

Listing NGR: TL3593614294