126 And 127, Northgate Street

Two houses, 126 and 127 Northgate Street, stand on a corner site in Bury St Edmunds. Their core dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, with a substantial refronting in the early 19th century. The houses are timber-framed, now faced with white brick and feature a parapet and a moulded stucco band. The roof is tiled, with a hipped section to the south, and the ridge level of number 126 is higher.

The main elevation to Northgate Street has a four-window range on the front, with 12-pane sashes to the first storey and wider 16-pane sashes on the ground storey, all set in plain reveals with wide, flat arches above. The Mustow Street elevation has a blocked two-window range. A raised stucco band sits below the first-storey windows. The entrance doors are a six-panel door, recessed at number 126 with a reeded architrave and rectangular fanlight, and a double brick-arched door at number 127 with a semicircular fanlight incorporating ornamental glazing bars. Two plain red brick chimney stacks are visible internally.

Number 126 has a 19th-century rear extension linking to a 16th-century two-storey rear wing, likely originally a separate building. This wing displays Tudor brickwork with an irregular bond to its north and south walls. A high ground-storey room extends to wallplate level, with attics above. Two tall 12-pane sash windows in flush cased frames were inserted in the early 19th century along the south side. A gable end wall incorporates an external chimney stack.

Inside number 126, a small brick-and-flint lined cellar contains three niches in the north wall and remnants of an original timber ceiling. A single-bay front range, timber-framed, was likely added with the chimney stack to number 127. On the ground floor, a boxed main beam and an early 19th-century fireplace surround with an ornate cast-iron grate are present. The first storey reveals timber framing elements, including a softwood tie-beam replacing earlier posts, along with long, thin arched braces to the tie-beam. A small fireplace features a bolection-moulded surround. The front attic has exposed common rafters and is ceiled at collar level, with resited collars. A cupboard doorway exhibits rebated jambs and a four-centred arched plank head. An early 19th-century staircase with stick balusters and a wreathed handrail rises through the height of the house. Internal shutters with sunk panels are found at the rear wing sash windows.

Number 127 displays exposed framing on the first storey, including the wallplate and part of the studding. A late 17th/early 18th-century winder stair at the rear of the entrance hall has a flat moulded handrail and dumb-bell balusters. A fully panelled room features bolection mouldings, a dado, and a fireplace surround with ornate architrave and dentils. Two upper fireplaces have 18th-century wood surrounds with overmantels. The attics are plastered.