Numbers 28-33 And Attached Walls

Numbers 28-33 and attached walls form part of the former barracks of the West Suffolk Militia Regiment, now converted to houses and flats in the late 20th century. The buildings date to 1857-8 and were designed by RM Phipson in partnership with G Morgan. Constructed in dark red brick with blue headers and lighter red brick dressings, they have fully hipped slate roofs with wide eaves soffits, and are built in an Elizabethan style.

The buildings comprise two sections, likely single-depth to the left and double-depth to the right. The facade features an 8-window range to the left and an 11-window range to the right. Numbers 28 and 29 exhibit two paired casement windows to the first storey within deep moulded brick reveals, and two canted bays with slate roofs to the ground storey, also with paired windows. A stone sill band runs below all windows. Entrance doors are flanked by single-light windows, set in deep recesses.

The central section, containing numbers 30 to 33, is the surviving portion of a pair of buildings, originally including the armoury, guard room, and orderly room. This section stands higher, with wide plain pilasters at the angles and an upper storey above a brick dentil course. A further brick dentil course sits below the moulded sprockets of the eaves soffit. Central tripartite windows are present on each storey, framed by shallow pointed arches. Two similar paired windows illuminate the upper storey. The ground storey has two matching doors, each with a high pointed surround and rectangular fanlight. A lower section to the left mirrors the style, with paired casements to each storey. Numerous tall chimney-stacks, each topped with a row of terracotta pots, are visible.

The interior details have not been inspected. Low red brick boundary walls run along the frontage, featuring stone coping and higher dividing pillars with conical stone caps. These buildings were likely constructed in response to the 1853 Militia Act, which mandated NCO accommodation and a secure armory. The design is somewhat unusual and forms a group with the adjoining numbers 37-39.