The Croft

The Croft is a company office building located on the east side of Needham Market High Street. It was originally constructed in the early 17th century as a three-room house with a lobby entrance. It underwent alterations in the mid-19th century. The building is two storeys high with attics. The front elevation is timber-framed and encased in mid-19th century gault brick, featuring shallow pilasters between the bay divisions. The roof is covered with plain tiles, but the eaves were lowered and slated in the 19th century. Flat-roofed dormers with casement windows were added in the 19th century. A red brick axial chimney dates back to the 17th century. The windows are small-pane sashes with moulded cast iron lintels, some of which have louvred shutters. The recessed panelled entrance door features an upper glazed panel, also from the 19th century. A long 17th-century wing extends to the rear, also timber-framed, plastered, and covered with plain tiles. Some original timber framing is visible on both the front and rear, along with wind-braced clasped-purlin roofs. A good staircase wing and other renovations are evident from the early or mid-19th century.