12, The Market Place

12 The Market Place is a building originally part of Hatche's House, which is adjacent to No 14 Market Street. It later became known as the Queen's Arms Inn, where James II was brought when he was captured on the Swale during his first escape attempt in 1688. The building dates back to the 16th century but was refronted in the early 19th century.

It has two storeys and features four windows, with a stuccoed façade that includes a stringcourse, coved cornice, and parapet. The two central window bays project slightly, topped with a small pediment. The shop front is notable, flanked by scagliola Doric pilasters, with the central section supported by engaged scagliola Ionic columns and a modillion cornice that is more pronounced than the sides. The outer sections of the shop front have depressed arches with keystones, with the western arch serving as an entrance to Back Lane and the eastern being part of the shop front. The central portico features a wider depressed arch with a bracket instead of a keystone, and below it is a rectangular panel of scrolled ironwork and a plate glass window.

There is also a doorway in Back Lane with a moulded architrave surround, a blocked rectangular fanlight, and a door with six fielded panels, topped by a moulded projecting cornice. The building was originally one house with No 14 Market Place. All the listed buildings in the Market Place form a group, and Nos 14 to 16 also form a group with Nos 1 and 2, and 4 to 12 on West Street.