Office And Workshop Of F Sparrow And Sons (Builders) Limited, 20 Metres South West Of Number 101 High Street

NEEDHAM MARKET HIGH STREET TM 0855

3/144 Office and Workshop of F. Sparrow and Sons (Builders) Ltd, 20m South-West of No.101 - High Street.

GV II

Builder's office and workshop. Built c1520-1550 as a stable or possibly a barn; certainly in use as a stable by c1800 when alterations were made. Red brick in English bond with splayed offsets at one third and two thirds height. The south wall was entirely rebuilt c1800 in red brick in Flemish bond, and may have been timber-framed until then. C19 roof, probably once slated; asbestos-cement slated at date of survey. About 20m long, and about 8m wide. On the north side at 1st storey level is a row of 3 cross- slits (blocked) with splayed inner reveals; others are in the gables. A small-pane sash of c1800 at centre of north wall, with stuccoed surround. Two early or original stable doorways on the north side with oak lintels, one with a C16 lapped oak plank door, the other with a boarded door of c1800. On the south side is an arcade of c1800: 6 shallow blind arches with heads of gauged brick, some with original semi-circular windows; one has a C20 doorway. Two original tie-beams are slightly cambered, with massive knee- braces and wall-posts on the north side; evidence for an original queenpost roof, entirely removed by C19. An upper floor with heavy binding beams and square unchamfered joists is probabley a C17 insertion. At the west end is a smaller and narrower range containing offices; almost entirely rebuilt in C19 and C20 red brick, but with small sections of C16 brick work at the east end suggesting a C16 core.

Listing NGR: TM0873955112