Lattice House

Lattice House

Timber-framed house built around 1480 as a single two-storey range fronting Chapel Street (formerly Listergate), possibly as shops with domestic quarters above. Cross-wings were added to the south end of the rear elevation in the late 15th century and to the north end of the rear elevation in the early 16th century. A two-storey rear projection was added between the cross-wings in the 19th century, and single-storey extensions were added to the rear in the late 20th century. The building was restored between 1981 and 1982 and unified as one commercial premises, now operating as a public house.

The building is constructed of timber-framing with brick infill, and is roofed with plain tiles on the front range and south cross-wing, and pantiles on the north cross-wing and late 20th-century rear extensions. The front range features two chimney stacks on its rear (west) slope: one to the north end, inserted in the 18th or 19th century and subsequently rebuilt; and one to the south end, inserted in the 16th century, probably to serve both the front range and south cross-wing.

The east and south elevations of the front range are jettied over the ground floor, with a plain jetty bressumer and a dragon post to the south-east corner set on a moulded base. The first floor of the front range has arched and straight braces to the front elevation with 20th-century brick infill, and brick nogging to the first floor of the south elevation. The ground floor contains a doorway to the right of centre, with two two-light timber cross-casement windows to the south end, an eight-over-eight pane timber sash window, a 16-light window, and a three-light window, all showing various degrees of restoration or replacement. The front elevation has four two-light timber cross-casement windows to the first floor, restored but basically 17th-century in character, with one small 20th-century casement at the north end. The first floor of the south elevation retains one three-light mullioned casement (restored). The north elevation of the front range displays random stone coursing to ground and first floors with ashlar quoins to the ground floor and red brick quoins to the first floor, with red brick to the gable.

The south cross-wing is two storeys high with rendered walls. The south elevation has a door opening at the east end with a blocked window above, and three mullioned windows of 1982 set within 15th-century frames, the easternmost being a six-light dais window with king mullion and transom rising through both floors. The west gable has been rebuilt with two substantially rebuilt pantiled extensions stepping down to the west from the gable end.

The north cross-wing is a long two-storey range with low courses of rubble stone and two storeys of red brick above, displaying scattered mixed fenestration and a rebuilt 16th-century chimneystack to the north slope.

Each of the three medieval ranges has a crown-post roof with differing details and dates. The south cross-wing's roof is the only hall open (or reopened) to the rafters. Throughout, the building is close-studded with a full complement of chamfered bridging beams and generally plain joists, noted only when departing from the standard style.

The front range roof comprises square-section crown posts standing on tie beams with arched braces dropping to principal studs, and arched braces from the posts to the ties. The crown purlin is supported on arched braces, with no collar braces. The north part of the front range retains a red and black stencil fleur-de-lys wall painting on the south wall of the first-floor room, possibly dating from around 1700. The ground floor's central room retains a fireplace with a chamfered bressumer, and the south room retains a timber ceiling structure corresponding with the dragon beam at the south-east corner of the exterior. The plan-form of the former passageway through the building is retained from the front door through a corridor to the rear yard. The ground floor and central room show clear evidence of blocked door openings on the north and west walls.

The south cross-wing was reopened in the late 20th century to reveal the original two-bay open hall, with storeyed rooms to the west jettied into it. The cross-wing has a continuous crown-post roof with a decorated truss to the two-bay hall, comprising a square-section crown post with chamfered corners (appearing octagonal), supported by a moulded tie-beam on chamfered arched braces and corbels. The crown posts have chamfered arched braces to the crown purlin and collars. The western crown truss has straight braces to the tie beam. During restoration work by the District Council in 1982, a piscina was uncovered at the east end of the south wall, comprising a stone trough within an ogee-arched brick recess, plastered to resemble stone, possibly relocated from the Augustinian Friary following its dissolution in 1539. The north wall retains a 16th-century brick fireplace with a timber bressumer.

The roof of the north cross-wing features two types of crown posts: one type with polygonal chamfered bases standing on cambered ties, and square-section posts with fillets to each face supporting arched braces to the crown purlin and collars; and a second type of square-section posts with arched braces dropping to flat tie beams. The crown posts have arched braces to the collars and crown purlin. The north wall of the first floor retains a blocked two-light window opening within a chamfered timber surround. The 16th-century red brick chimneystack of the north cross-wing has a large fireplace and timber bressumer to the west room of the ground floor. A steep and narrow stair in the south-west corner provides access between ground and first floors.