Nos 100 And 102, Including Stretch Of Walling To Rear Of No 102

Nos 100 and 102 are a pair of buildings on Rochester High Street, originally likely houses and now two shops. They date from possibly the late 17th century, although they have undergone significant alterations and extensions. The buildings are timber-framed with brick infill and have Kent tile roofs. They were built to a double-depth plan and have stacks in the valley between the roofs, running parallel with the street. The rear features two jettied gables leading to an attic, and lateral staircases. It’s possible that each house once had a detached kitchen; the kitchen associated with No 100 was largely rebuilt in brick during the 19th century and connected to the house by a narrow, storeyed wing. The kitchen for No 102 is indicated by a short stretch of 17th-century brick walling which returns to the rebuilt block at No 100.

The front of the buildings were entirely refaced in the early 20th century with a mock timber-framed look and cement render. They are arranged as a four-window range with two-light casements to the second floor, and small, canted oriels to the first. The shop fronts are from around 1900; the fascia of No 100 has fluted consoles, and No 102 has a replica shop front.

At the rear, the jettied and weatherboarded attic gables each have a three-light casement window (now renewed). There are shallow canted oriels to the first floor of each house, with four, sixteen, and four-pane sash windows. A storeyed wing connects to No 100, a square-plan brick building possibly incorporating original timber framing, and thought to be a detached kitchen, though now appearing entirely 19th century. The fragment of 17th-century brickwork to the rear of No 102, possibly the remains of a detached kitchen, is included in the listing.

Internally, there are chamfered ceiling beams with scross stops on the ground and first floors of both houses. Each building has a lateral, dog-leg staircase with turned newels (stick balusters in No 100). The first floor of No 100 has wall panelling, which appears to be late.