72 And 74, High Street

This is a historic house, originally built as a single 3-cell dwelling around the 16th century, with extensions added in the mid 17th century to create a long, continuous range. It has been divided into two separate dwellings. The construction is timber-framed and now rendered with roughcast, topped with a pantiled roof. The building has two storeys and four windows, predominantly 2 and 3-light casement windows with a single horizontal bar to each light. Number 72 has a semi-glazed 4-panel door, while number 74 has a mid-20th century glazed door positioned in the cross-entry of the original 16th-century section. Modern shop windows and a recessed doorway are located on the extreme left side. Two internal stacks provide ventilation. A 1 1/2-storey garage has been added to the left gable end.

Inside number 74, the 16th-century section displays widely-spaced, heavy studwork. The hall chamber shows evidence of a central arched-braced tie beam at the front, but not at the rear, suggesting a possible alteration or incorporation of earlier work. The roof features irregular joists at the service end, with more substantial joists in the cross-passage. The 17th-century work exposes the first-floor studding. The roof structure is a clasped purlin roof, with arched wind bracing in the older section. Number 72, which was not inspected recently, contains a newel staircase with a well-carved newel post, according to information provided by Mr T. Easton of Bedfield Hall.