The Bull Inn

NEEDHAM MARKET BRIDGE STREET TM 0855

3/49 The Bull Inn, (including No.86 High Street) 9.12.55

• II*

Public House, built early C16 as a high-quality town house. 3-cell cross- passage entrance plan, with two integral shops. 2 storeys. Timber-framed and roughcast; the upper floor is long-wall jettied towards both Bridge Street and High Street. Plaintiled roofs with axial chimneys of red brick, and C19 ornamental bargeboards. Various C18/early C19 windows, some with wrought-iron casements. C19 boarded entrance doors (the doorway to No.86 High Street has 2 fielded panels). Exposed framing outside the building is confined to joists and brackets supporting a moulded bressumer, and a richly-carved corner post. This is weathered but has traceried panels at the base, an embattled frieze, a winged human or angel figure, an embattled capital and a traceried spreading head. Blocked original openings all with 4-centred arches (some damaged), include:- both cross-passage doorways, a shop doorway adjacent to the front door, a pair of wide shop windows, and a further doorway and window in a formerly separate shop room. In the hall the upper half of the original main window remains, with chamfered square mullions, each light having little arched spandrels. High quality close-studding with arch- and tension-bracing. The large hall fireplace and that in the chamber above have cambered lintels. Wainscotted cross-passage screen perhaps of later C16. Roll-moulded 1st floor joists in hall and parlour cells, the main beams also embattled. An original door now in the service end is unusual in having linenfold enriched planking. Over the parlour chamber is a crownpost roof, with plain square post at the open truss, 2-way braced; there are traces of original red paint. A cell positioned to right of the entrance from the High Street is apparently earlier, with moulded 1st floor members and a coupled-rafter roof.

Listing NGR: TM0881355135