Armoury Plat

Armoury Plat

A detached house, now listed as Grade II. It was originally part of an L-shaped terrace of dwellings built between 1763 and about 1767 for the manufacturing of linen, commissioned by Arnold Nesbitt MP. The building was isolated and probably subdivided during the 19th century, then converted into flats in the 20th century.

The roof is covered with clay tiles. The elevations are constructed of red-brown, red and blue brick, with hung tiles of 18th and 20th century date. The cellar retains lower stone courses.

The earliest plan-form is broadly legible from the building's layout. Two full-height cellars running north to south, lit by semi-circular openings and light wells (now blocked) partly above ground level, were used as loom shops for the linen manufacturing. The slightly elevated ground floor has a central main entrance leading to a stair, probably originally shared, providing access to a symmetrical arrangement of four rooms on both floors of each unit. The front and rear rooms had back-to-back diagonal fireplaces served by the end stacks. The internal arrangement was remodelled in the 20th century when the building was converted into flats; this is particularly evident at the rear where additional stairs and rooms have been inserted.

The exterior has a pitched roof with a large gable to the front and two end stacks. The façade is hung with 18th century tiles, re-hung probably in the 20th century, up to the attic level then with 20th century tiles above. The 20th century entrance door at the centre is approached by a flight of three brick steps; the moulded door surround and flat hood supported on brackets are 18th century. Either side of the entrance at ground floor are small 20th century casement windows, probably in original openings. At first floor, a small casement window lights the staircase and is flanked by 20th century oriel windows with tile-hung aprons. At the gable apex is another oriel window on a curved bracket.

The rear elevation comprises late-18th or 19th century red bricks with blue brick headers laid in Flemish bond at the ground floor, hung with 20th century tiles at the first. There are two small, single-storey 20th century extensions at the ground floor in brick laid in Stretcher bond with some tile hanging; these were probably rear facilities for the flats. The ground floor casements are 20th century beneath elliptical heads. At first floor is a small central casement lighting the rear stairs; to the right is an angled oriel. There are two Velux-type windows in the rear pitch of the roof.

The east elevation comprises 18th century bricks laid in both English and Sussex bonds. It has a lop-sided appearance due to the elevation being cut back at an angle at the south-east corner, to the rear of the integrated stack. The angled elevation has a red and blue brick flat-roofed, single storey extension at ground floor and is hung with 20th century tiles at first floor where there are 20th century casements. To the front of the stack is a two-storey brick extension beneath a hipped roof with a front catslide. The east and the rear elevation of this extension are generally of red brick laid in Sussex bond; the front elevation is in brown-red brick laid in English bond. To the rear of the extension is a single-storey, flat-roofed addition, above which are 20th century casements at each floor level. The entrance to the cellars is in a single-storey addition to the east. All of the extensions at the east elevation are 20th century and of lesser interest.

The west elevation is partly obscured by a cottage attached to the west. It has concrete render to the first floor, some 18th century brick laid in English bond at attic level but renewed brickwork above. There is a 20th century window inserted to the front of the truncated end stack.

The interior contains two 18th century, vaulted cellars used as loom shops. They are full-height and well-constructed in overpainted brick laid in English bond on courses of stonework, running from north to south. They were lit by large semi-circular openings to the north and south, now blocked. The vaulting is splayed at the openings to allow maximum light to penetrate the cellar. The partition wall between the vaults has a central splayed opening; the contemporary brick stairs from the ground floor above are apparent at this location. It is presumed that the flight or flights of stairs from the bottom brick step down to the ground floor of the cellar were in timber but are not in situ. The cellars were probably always interconnected to maximise light to both and accommodate looms. The west entrance is blocked and at the east is an opening into a 20th century reinforced concrete extension with brick piers and steel RSJs. This extension is likely to have been on the location of the cellar of the adjacent demolished property.

The ground floor room partitions are largely 18th century. Later chimneypieces have been inserted into the 18th century fireplace openings. The stairs are in the earliest position but the structure appears to be 20th century. There is a brick paver floor covering. At the rear there are some blocked earlier door openings, probably of the 18th century, but this part of the building has seen much reordering to accommodate flats, including the insertion of rear stairs, and the earliest plan-form is not clear.

On the first floor, the dogleg staircase retains some 18th century timbers, with carpenters' marks, and the partition between the front and rear rooms is largely 18th century. The position of the fireplaces is preserved, but the chimneypieces are 20th century; there is one 18th century plank and ledger door.

The flight of stairs to the attic (second floor) is 20th century as are the room partitions. The A-frame roof structure is generally 18th century to the west side, but with a renewed ridge plank and additional plank supports to the rafters. The roof structure is renewed at the east side. The front pitch retains the 18th century rafters and wall plate on either side of the 20th century gable.