3 And 5, Castle Street

The buildings at 3 and 5 Castle Street, Thetford, are a pair of late 15th-century houses, now combined and used as a shop. They were renovated in 1983 and are of timber-frame construction with a pantile roof. Originally a single house with number 1 Castle Street (listed separately), this building formed the main dwelling, with number 1 serving as the two-storeyed service wing. A plinth course is visible externally. The building is two storeys high and has an exposed timber frame of heavy scantling, largely re-used. The middle rail on the left side features a solid brace with fleuron and rosette decoration. The ground floor has two 6-panelled and fielded doors, each with a 6/6 sash window to the left. A plank door, leading to a rear passage, is situated at the extreme right (east) and features a 4-centred head. The first floor has three 6/6 sash windows. The roof is gabled and no stack is visible. Inside, a 2-centred arched doorway provides rear access. On the west ground floor, two 2-centred service doorways are blocked, having formerly led into number 1 Castle Street. A projecting internal fireplace on the north wall incorporates two late 11th-century ecclesiastical columns as jambs. The roof is a two-bay crown post type, with octagonal posts having moulded bases and capitals. Tie beams are cranked and supported by arched braces with pierced tracery carving in the spandrels. The west wall displays a row of cusped quatrefoils beneath the wall plate.