North Cottage Widows Nest

WORLINGWORTH SHOP STREET TM 26 NW 5/129 North Cottage, Widows - Nest GV II House. C16; early C20 one-storey addition to east. Under renovation at time of survey (June 1987). A 2-cell addition to the parlour end of the range to the south (qv. Item 5/128), perhaps a shop or-workshop. Timber framed and plastered, pantiled roof. 2 storeys. Casement windows of 1987; door removed at time of survey. C18 stack against north gable end. Intact 2-bay frame, some of the studding closely-spaced. Reverse-curved braces at the corners. One original first floor window with chamfered mullions. In north west corner of south bay is part of an arched external doorway. The gable end, which faces the road, had a jettied upper floor and a further jetty to the gable; all supporting brackets survive, together with drop finials at the foot of the gable. This end has evidence for a projecting first floor window with chamfered mullions and for a large ground floor window, although the frame on the ground floor no longer survives. On the upper floor the former outside gable end wall has C17 stippled plasterwork with an interesting and well- preserved pargetted design. There is quoining around the window, a large flowerhead to each side and below the window a shield with the initials 'BA'. Plain floor joists in both cells, that to the south with unchamfered axial bridging beam, set off-centre. Evidence for stairtrap in north cell, now blocked. No evidence for original heating. Roof has a single row of clasped purlins with curved wind braces.

Listing NGR: TM2166668550