Weavers Rest

Weavers Rest is a house dating from the late 15th and 16th centuries, situated on Southgate Street in Bury St Edmunds. It is a timber-framed and jettied structure, with exposed studding on the upper storey and rendered to the ground storey, covered by a 20th-century plaintiled roof. The building’s most distinctive feature is a centrally positioned internal chimney stack with three attached hexagonal shafts, set upon a plain rectangular base.

The house originally comprised two bays, with two additional bays being added later. The bressumer, which supports the jetty, is divided into three distinct sections. The two outer bays have an ogee moulding, while the central bays display a running leaf motif. Beneath the jetty, fragments of ornate brackets and shafts remain on the main posts.

The exterior features four windows to the upper storey, consisting of three 3-light casements, and one 2-light window, each with four panes of glass. Two of these windows retain evidence of carved bases, once intended for oriels. The ground storey has five windows: three 16-pane sashes within flush cased frames to the south of the entrance, and two small-paned casements to the north. A recessed entrance door, situated up steps, is in the original entry position and displays bracketed posts, shafting, and an arched head with spandrels.

The cellar beneath the south end of the house retains timber joists and a section of large ashlar blocks, believed to be the remains of the original rear wall. The two wide central bays originally formed the hall of the house, featuring a large end chimney stack. The main cross-beams here have a double ogee moulding that is carried around the walls. Traces of red ochre colouring can be seen on the chimney brickwork. A large cambered lintel spans a reduced opening, and the stack was cut back to accommodate a doorway into the later addition at the south end. The south room displays plain main timbers.

Historical plans suggest that the north bay was initially a cross-wing with an internal chimney stack, although the rear portion has since been demolished. A ground-storey room features a main beam with a double roll-moulding, which is also carried around the walls. A later straight staircase is enclosed within a lean-to extension behind the central bays. The south bay contains a heavy cambered tie-beam with arched braces on the upper storey. The north wall of the central section exhibits heavy exposed studding and bracing on the upper storey, cut to create access to the later north end. The roof structure consists of a clasped purlin roof, with rafters pegged to the purlins and cambered collars.