Buckenham House

Buckenham House is a building located on High Street in Southwold, originally constructed around 1540, with a rear wing added in the early 17th century. The main section of the house was refronted, raised, and re-roofed around 1745, while the wing was raised in the early 19th century. There were further alterations in the late 19th century, and it was converted into shops in 1930. The building underwent restoration in 1982. It is believed to have originally been built for Richard Buckenham. The structure features a timber frame encased in brick, topped with a plain tile roof and brick end stacks.

The exterior is two storeys high with a dormer attic and has a six-window front. A double-leaf panelled door is situated to the left of the centre, framed by a pedimented Gibbs surround. There are two unhorned sash windows on the left and three on the right, all under gauged skewback arches and recently restored. On the first floor, there are six unhorned sash windows, also under gauged skewback arches. The eaves cornice is corbelled and roll-moulded, and there are four hipped dormers fitted with 2-light casements. Railings protecting the cellar steps were reinstated in 1990. The rear wing features sash and casement windows and a hipped roof, with a two-storey canted bay window added to the rear of the main range.

Inside, the cellar has English bond brickwork, two blocked fireplaces, chamfered bridging beams, and access steps leading to the rear yard. On the ground floor, a staircase from around 1745 features turned bobbin balusters, column newel posts, and a moulded ramped and wreathed handrail. The stairwell is decorated with dado rail and large frame panelling, which is stencilled with floral designs. The north room contains heavy mid-16th century unmoulded bridging beams and joists with multiple roll-mouldings and punched diamond inserts at the stops, along with a 19th-century fire surround featuring a Greek key frieze and the motto: "DOE YE NEXTE THYNGE." The south room has a 19th-century dentillated plaster frieze. The main internal doorways are from the 18th century, with six panels and moulded surrounds. The roof structure consists of principal rafters, two tiers of staggered butt purlins, and collars, with remains of the former roof line still visible.