The Guardsman Former Public House

The Guardsman, formerly a public house, likely dates from the 17th century or even the 16th century, and was refaced in the 18th century with early and mid-19th century windows on the upper floor, and 20th-century ground floor windows set within earlier surrounds. The exterior is of painted brick, possibly over timber framing. It has a tiled roof with a massive brick chimneystack to the northern end, likely of late 16th or early 17th century date. The building is two storeys and attics, with an irregular fenestration of mainly sash windows with casements to dormers.

The building is divided into two parts: the northern section is of two storeys and attics with two bays and that chimneystack, while the southern section is taller with a half-hipped roof and appears externally to be of late 17th or early 18th century date. The east or entrance front has two 18th-century hipped dormers with 19th-century casement windows. The first floor south end boasts a tripartite mid-19th century sash window with central glazing bars and horns, while the north end has a six-pane early 19th century sash window that breaks through the wallplate. The ground floor now has four late 20th-century wooden multipane fixed sash windows within earlier openings; those to north and south likely replaced earlier doorcases. A wide doorcase contains a 20th-century door. The north side is obscured by an adjacent building, and the south side has no windows but one 20th-century door.

Interior inspection has not been possible, although evidence of some timber framing has been reported, which is consistent with the age of the chimneystack. An internal inspection may reveal further features of interest. This building represents one of the few surviving pre-19th century structures of Fratton village and is amongst the oldest in the city outside Old Portsmouth. It is a building of group value.