No 107 St Aldate's, Oxford

House believed to originate in 1594, with fabric surviving from that period, but much altered and extended since. The building occupies a narrow frontage on the west side of St Aldate's. The original building is thought to have been timber-framed, or partly timber-framed, and some of this structure survives, though the walls are now mainly of stone and brick. The front elevation is rendered and painted stone, and the roof is slated; the stacks belonging to the early part of the building have been lost.

The original building is thought to be two rooms deep, with later additions to the west. A circa 1920s extension to the north-west has been added, and the property now incorporates a section of building to the south-west. The extended western section of the building, which includes part of a range of 19th-century former stables, is not of special interest and is excluded from the listing.

The two-bay street frontage is of three storeys with a ground-floor shopfront. The frame of the shopfront is 19th century, with the windows having been replaced in the early 20th century. The central entrance is flanked by splayed plate glass windows; the northern window has a panel to the rear, with a secondary entrance set in the recess behind. The sides of the shopfront are defined by panelled pilasters with corbels framing the fascia, which slopes inwards from the top. The angle of the northern window has a surviving slender cast-iron column dividing the panes, lost in the southern window. The setback central double doors are modern replacements. Above the shopfront are sash windows with timber pelmets. Above the first-floor windows is a projecting moulded string course, following the northern return, which contains a first-floor window; a similar moulding serves as a cornice. The second-floor windows are linked by a cill with a wrought-iron railing. There is a parapet pierced with quatrefoils, divided by chamfered blocks.

The building is enclosed on the south and west sides. The northern elevation is partially obscured by an adjoining public house and a long single-storey room belonging to the pub to the rear. Beyond this, a low brick structure contains a rear entrance giving access to the western part of the building. Above the entrance is set a 'lantern' – a rectangular structure with multi-pane metal-framed glazed panels above cast-iron panels. Further west is a development of 19th-century two-storey stables and coach houses, now much altered; the first floor of the easternmost section of this belongs to the building. The ground-floor area is obscured by a 20th-century lean-to structure; the openings above have replacement windows and there are modern rooflights.

The ground floor is occupied by a shop; this area has both false walls and ceiling, and no historic features are currently visible apart from two cast-iron columns supporting beams to the rear of the shop.

The secondary entrance gives access to a narrow modern stair leading to the first floor, which is now open plan. Along the line of the original frontage is a beam, chamfered to the west edge only, with scroll stops. An axial beam, also chamfered and stopped, runs along the south wall, but is now boxed in. In the south wall is a large stone fireplace with a depressed four-centred arch; the opening is moulded and the spandrels undecorated, with jambs that are chamfered with elaborate stops. Herringbone brick to the back of the opening could be original; the opening has been partially filled to accommodate a later grate. The stonework of the south chimneybreast is now exposed, with a relieving arch visible. To the north, at the top of the stairs, is a stone projection, possibly part of a former stone chimneybreast, the angle being chamfered and stopped. No associated fireplace has been uncovered at first-floor level, nor is there a chimneybreast in this position at second-floor level. A timber-framed partition has been revealed to the north wall, with a former door opening, confirming that the original building extended to the north. A late-19th-century cast-iron spiral staircase leads from the south of this area up to the second floor. The staircase has ornate foliate balusters and quatrefoil piercing to the string and risers; the handrail is brass. The second floor is divided into two rooms, with a central landing. The east room has a fireplace to the south wall, of the same form as that on the first floor but smaller, with a geometric moulding to the spandrels and simpler stops to the jambs; the brickwork to the back is laid in straight courses. The room contains an irregularly-shaped timber structure to the north-east, constructed as a support in connection with alterations to the roof structure, and now plastered over. The room to the west has elements of timber framing exposed to the west wall, with an inserted sash window. This room has a small fireplace with a late-19th-century cast-iron chimneypiece.

The pitched roof is in a cross shape, with the main section running west-east in two parts and a central transverse section. The roof has been altered at the east end, with the former gable being converted to a hip to facilitate the extension and rebuilding of the frontage. The rafters are pegged at the apex, with no ridge piece, and numbered with carpenters' marks. The roof is ceiled at the level of the purlins, the collars now covered. A number of the timbers have been replaced or reused. The stone chimney stack is visible at the south end of the transverse section. The roof over the western area has also seen some alteration. This section has purlins set above the later collars, and one pair of principal rafters with a high collar. The common rafters have been reinforced with modern timbers.

The cellar was not inspected. It is understood that the cellar occupies a space approximately relating to the area of the original house, or the southern part of it, and extends a short distance eastwards below the pavement. Photographic evidence suggests that the cellar contains some portions of historic stone walling.