31, 31b and 31c Market Place

This is a former town house dating from around 1770, with alterations in the early to mid-19th century to create a gunsmiths shop and workshop, and further changes in the 20th century for retail and office use. The building is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond, with a pantile roof and brick stacks.

The building has an L-shaped layout. The main part (number 31) faces the Market Place, running east to west, while a rear cross wing (numbers 31b and 31c) runs roughly north to south along Ash Close.

The front elevation to the Market Place is two storeys high and has three bays. 20th-century attic dormers have been removed. The central ground floor has a half-glazed, two-panelled door within a pilastered surround that has minor incised decoration, topped by a simple entablature. Flanking the door are two plate-glass display windows with pilastered surrounds, moulded cills, and plain entablatures. The first floor has three six-over-six horned sash windows, each set beneath a gauged skewback arch. A dentilled cornice sits above. The gabled roof has truncated internal gable-end stacks to the east and west. The west gable-end features an attic platband and tumbling.

The rear elevation is a gabled range of red brick with burnt brick headers in Flemish bond, the majority of which has been cement rendered. A 20th-century half-glazed door is at the centre of the ground floor, above which is a six-over-six unhorned sash window. The attic has a 20th-century top-opening casement. A brick stack rises from the apex of the gable.

The rear cross wing along Ash Close is two storeys high with a dormer attic. The ground floor has a 19th-century door to number 31b and a 20th-century door to number 31c. To the right of the door to number 31b is a staircase window with a two-over-two unhorned sash with margin lights of coloured glass. Above the doors on the first floor are two six-over-six unhorned sashes. All the window and door openings are set within gauged cambered arches. Two gabled 18th-century dormers are visible on the roof, each containing a two-light casement.