Guildhall Cottage

YAXLEY DUKE'S BRIDGE (WEST SIDE) TM 17 SW 3/145 Guildhall Cottage 29.7.55 (formerly listed as Guildhall Cottages)

• II*

Former guildhall, converted to a house, then to 4 almshouses and back to a house. Early C16 for Guild of St. Thomas Martyr; extended and converted mid to late C16, probably for F. Sherman, altered C18 and C20. Timber frame with some brick casing, plastered. Black glazed pantiled roof. Originally 6 bays with an open first floor hall, entrance and smoke hood at left or lower end. Extended with a large parlour bay to left with a massive end stack. Always 2 storeys. Part brick cased to front in C20, C20 casements with a door at lower end of original building. Boxed eaves. C16 left end stack with 2 ornamental quatrefoils in chamfered recesses near eaves, later buttresses on end wall, coped gable parapet, rebuilt diagonally set shaft. Right end later internal stack with rebuilt diagonally set shaft and brick end wall, offsets on both gable ends. Scattered openings to rear. Interior: ground floor close studding altered with no signs of original entrances, deeply chamfered crossed binding beams, stop chamfered joists, chamfered storey posts, C19 inserted stack to centre now truncated. First floor: original 4-centred arched doorhead to rear at lower end suggesting an external stair, original left end wall shows evidence of smoke hood, both end walls have reverse curved arched bracing. 2 formerly open trusses have unjowled posts with square rebates, arched braces to stop chamfered cambered tie beams. Traces of original window openings of up to 6 lights with moulded jambs and mullions with 4 roll moulds and cavetto angles, a large sill to front at upper end for original oriel window. Arched braced collar roof, stop chamfered butt purlins and principals, ridge piece, light smoke blackening. Parlour addition has close studding, stop chamfered axial binding beam, huge fireplace with 16 foot stop chamfered bressumer, traces of a 4-centred arch in brick to rear of fireplace, had arched braces to tie beam, 2 bay roof with cambered collars, chamfered butt purlins.

Listing NGR: TM1210174096