No 10 And Hand Rails And Railings Attached The Caravel Hotel

This is a house, formerly two houses and a shop, now part of the Caravel Hotel and also including a separate house at No. 10. The building dates back to the 15th century, with alterations in the late 16th century and further changes and partial rebuilding in the early to mid 19th century. It is timber framed with painted tile-hanging on the hall range and the left end bay (Caravel Hotel), and red brick to the front of the right end bay (No. 10). The rear walls are of flint and stone with stone dressings.

The original structure was Wealden in style, of which two unequal-length bays of the hall remain. The front of the hall was built out in the late 16th century, and the left and right end bays were rebuilt in the early to mid 19th century, with the left end bay projecting slightly. The left end bay and No. 10 are three storeys high, with No. 10 also having a basement, while the hall range is two storeys high with attics. The eaves are moulded wood on the left bay and plain projecting on the right. The end bays are hipped to the square. Brick stacks are located at the rear of the left bay of the hall and behind No. 10. The hall range has two hipped dormers.

The windows are arranged irregularly, with one sash window to the second floor and a glazing-bar sash to the first floor of the left end bay. The hall range has two glazing-bar sashes to the first floor, and each upper floor of No. 10 has one glazing-bar sash with rubbed brick voussoirs. A tripartite window with rubbed brick voussoirs rises above the ground floor of No. 10. A canted shop window is located to the right of the hall range, topped with a modillioned cornice that extends to form a continuous canopy over the doors. The recessed panelled door to the left end bay of the Hotel has curved iron hand-rails and a doorcase with reeded pilasters, patterae, and a frieze. There are two 20th-century doors to the hall range, one glazed and one half-glazed and panelled. A recessed half-glazed door leads to No. 10, accompanied by a handrail that turns into spear-headed area railings. The door is framed by an architrave with reeded pilasters and a flat corniced hood. Later additions are present to the rear.

The interior of the hall range features a moulded crown post with remnants of a heavily moulded cambered tie-beam, as well as a late 16th-century inserted hall floor with roll mouldings to the axial beam and joists. Walls posts from the former hall are visible, alongside an arch-braced, studded wall suggesting a separate cross-wing. The No. 10 contains 19th-century features. The railings attached to the property are also of group value.