27 High Street and attached rear outshoot and barn

This list entry was subject to a Minor Enhancement on 19 November 2021 to amend the description and to reformat the text to current standards

TL3514SE 829-1/9/91

WARE TOWN HIGH STREET (South side) No.27 and attached rear outshoot and barn

(Formerly Listed as: HIGH STREET, No.27)

08/05/50

GV II

Inn and attached outbuildings, now bank. Late C16/early C17, with C18 and C20 alterations. Timber-framed, rusticated stucco, early C19 refronting old tiled roof edged with Welsh slates. Left hand bay of structure, beyond carriageway, now included with No.25 (qv).

EXTERIOR: two storeys, plinth, plat band at first floor level. Four first floor sash windows with glazing bars, flush-set with exposed boxes. Carriageway on left of ground floor, mid C20 ground floor window with glazing bars, entrance on right up four stone steps; eight fielded panelled door, with rectangular fanlight, moulded architrave surround with consoles and open pediment above. Long rear outshoot, timber-framed, masonry lined stucco over brick (east), plaster moulded bressumer above first floor windows, and moulded eaves cornice (west). Beyond is barn, timber-framed with red brick ground floor, weatherboarding above and old tiled roof.

INTERIOR of No.27 contains moulded early C18 wood cornices and C17 panelling, some reset, on first floor. This is painted white but in 2021 evidence was found for what appears to be a complete suite of contemporary c.1600 wall paintings on at least two walls. Roof over front block of clasped purlin construction with windbracing and collars. The roof over the rear outshoot has purlins housed in heavy section principal rafters curved near base, and supported on a substantial plate which does not coincide with the external wall.

HISTORICAL NOTE: the site has been identified with historic inns of Ware. It adjoins, and may have been used at times, by The George Inn. In 1599 it is recorded that The Horn Inn stood next to The George Inn, and in C18 and C19 was known as The White House Inn.

(Hunt EM: The History of Ware: Hertford: 1986-1946: 116; Perman D: Ware UD. List of buildings of special arch or historic interest: 1993-: 27; Ware 25" to 1 Mile. Surveyed by the Ordnance Survey Department: 1851-).

Listing NGR: TL3588114253