The Bear Public House

The Bear Public House is a timber-framed building dating from the 15th to 17th century, located on Bell Street. The southern part of the building houses the public house, featuring a painted roughcast and brick facade with an old tiled roof that has four gables facing the road. It is two storeys high, with one window in each gable. On the first floor, there are two windows with five and three lights, which have leaded panes that are likely partly original. The ground floor is underbuilt in brick and includes modern windows. A carriageway arch to the north reveals visible timber framing in the walls.

There is a long rear range set at right angles, which is also timber framed with brick infilling and part weatherboarded, varying in height from one to two storeys. The northern part of the building, known as No 81, features two canted bays on the first floor, likely dating from the late 17th century, with gables that display mock timbering and later leaded glazing. The windows here have timber mullions and a transom. The ground floor includes two small early 19th-century shop fronts with glazing bars, the northernmost of which has a flat bow and engraved glass panes.

The Bear Public House is part of a group of buildings that includes Nos 45, 45A, and 47, as well as Nos 53 to 81 (odd), forming a cohesive architectural context with Nos 44 to 52 (even) and Nos 60 to 64 (even) across the street, along with No 2 New Street.