26-28 Long Street

This building comprises two adjoining properties, Numbers 26 and 28 Long Street, incorporating substantial remains of an early 16th-century structure with extensive later additions. The main range extends parallel with the street from west to east, with a cross-wing projecting southwards from the east end that is thought to be contemporary with the main range. Multi-phase ranges extend southwards to both west and east of the main building, leaving a central yard between them. A late 20th-century block at the south end of the south-east range and a late 20th-century lean-to addition at the south end of the south-west range are excluded from the listing as they are not of special interest.

The building is constructed of greensand ashlar and knapped flint with some brick. The street elevation is rendered, whilst the eastern gable end of the front range exposes the alternate courses of ashlar and knapped flint. The roofs are covered with asbestos slate, though stone gable copings with kneelers suggest the roof was originally thatched. The eastern stack is rendered, the western stack is brick, with further brick stacks in the southern ranges.

The street elevation presents a regular arrangement of six unhorned eight-over-eight sash windows to the first floor, probably dating from the early 19th century. Brick arches surviving on Number 28 indicate the former position of ground-floor openings, not aligned with the upper windows, now occupied by 19th-century shopfronts. There is a doorway in the eastern bay of Number 26 with a planked door leading to the passageway, probably marking the site of the house's original cross-passage.

Both shopfronts have cornices and multi-pane windows which have been altered. The shopfront to Number 26 has a recessed central doorway with a two-leaf door having glazed panels and a divided transom light above, flanked by tall symmetrical windows (restored in 1995) with 16 panes to the front and a panel of four panes turning the corner into the recess. The door to Number 28 is flush with the street, flanked by symmetrical 15-pane windows. In the eastern gable end of the front range, a projection beyond the north frontage just below first-floor level may indicate the former presence of a jetty.

A section of the south elevation of the north range is visible between the south-west and south-east ranges, though this is the result of rebuilding. The opening to the passage is to the west, with modern casement windows above and to the ground floor. At a high level to the east is set a fragment of a Medieval stone panel with trefoil decoration. The entrance from within the passage leading into the south-west wing has a doorway with a concave reeded frame and raised and fielded panels to the reveals; the door has six raised and fielded panels.

The south-east range is divided into sections with differing rooflines. The northern section, representing the original cross-wing, is lower than the southern section. All parts have been much altered. In the eastern elevation of the northern section, the lower part of the walling is of flint and stone with brick patching, whilst the upper part has been rebuilt in brick. At ground-floor level is a small stone window with a triangular head, thought to be original to the building. Above are an inserted first-floor casement window to the north and a large later 20th-century window to the south. The eastern elevation of the southern section shows extensive change to the flint and stone walling, with inserted 20th-century double doors, a large 20th-century window above, and a large section of brick patching between. Both sections have been rendered on the western elevation, where all openings have been altered during the 20th century.

The south-west range is also in sections. The main section is of coursed stone and flint with render. The east elevation has four regularly spaced unhorned sash windows, probably of early 19th-century date: those to the south are eight-over-eight, and those to the north, four-over-four. The attached section to the south is of flint with heavy cement pointing. The line of the building is canted westwards and the roof slopes to the south. There are three window openings, all different and all 20th-century.

The northernmost section of the south-east range is thought to be contemporary with the main range, with the next section to the south probably being 18th-century. In the western range, the first section to the south of the main range is probably 18th-century, with a 19th-century section beyond.

Interior

On the ground floor of the north range, the western shop (Number 26) consists of a single room accessed immediately through the front door. A blocked doorway in the south-east corner formerly gave access to the passageway. The joists are supported by two 19th-century cast-iron columns. To the south a doorway connects with the stair hall in the south-west range.

The eastern shop (Number 28) is also entered centrally from the street. A 20th-century partition divides the space into western and eastern areas. In the western area is a compartmented ceiling of four compartments, the beams with hollow-chamfer, quirk and wave moulding, apparently dating from the 16th century. The ceiling does not fit the space well and may have been brought from elsewhere; however, this may be due to the rebuilding of the south wall of the main range and the west wall of this room adjoining the passage. A stop-chamfered beam is visible in this south wall; in the eastern part of the space a beam of the same form runs north to south. At the south end of this area is a modern screen with a casement window.

On the first floor, a wall on the line of the central roof truss divides the space. Two of the tie beams of the six-bay roof—the second and third from the east—are exposed. These are slightly cambered and chamfered, and have stave holes to the undersides, suggesting the former presence of partitioning. It is likely that there were partitions between all bays at this level, as there appear to have been in the roof space. The jowl post supporting the easternmost beam is probably a later addition.

At the eastern end of the space is a stone chimneypiece thought to be original to the building, the opening having a depressed arch and continuous chamfer with a vase stop to the north jamb, lost on the south jamb. In the south-west corner of the room is a cupboard or lobby constructed of tongue-and-groove panelling, with a re-used door with L-hinges, perhaps late 17th- or early 18th-century, which gives access to a modern bathroom to the south and to the landing to the west. The western part of the front range first floor has three partitions with a corridor to the south. The fireplace in the south-west corner is blocked.

The roof over the north main range is of six bays of equal length, defined by principal-rafter trusses with cambered collars. Stave holes in the undersides of the collars indicate that the bays were at one time partitioned. There are butt purlins above and below the collars, and the trusses support a diamond-set ridge piece. Curved wind-braces survive to most bays; where absent the open mortices are visible. The fourth and fifth trusses from the eastern end bear carpenters' marks which appear to be the numbers IIII and V; a curved line next to the numbers may be intended to differentiate the numbering system of this roof from that of the cross-wing, though limited inspection does not allow for certainty on this point. The decorative form of the structure suggests that originally the first floor was open to the roof.

In the south-east range at ground-floor level, a spine beam runs the full length of the original cross-wing. This area is now partitioned, and in the northern section the beam has been plastered over, but in the southern section it is seen to be chamfered with no stop. In the southern room unchamfered joists are exposed, and in the south wall is a small fireplace, the timber bressumer having straight-cut stops and the stone jambs with run-out stops—probably original to the building. The relative simplicity of these features suggests that this may have been a service area. An 18th-century or early 19th-century winder stair rises from the north-east corner of the room.

In the next section of the building to the south is a single room with a large brick fireplace, rebuilt in the 20th century but incorporating an earlier bread oven. The ceiling timbers in this room have been re-used.

On the first floor, the stair gives access to a landing area with a small cupboard to the north of a former chimney stack; the panelled cupboard door with L-hinges is probably 18th-century. The other rooms in this section were created using partitions in the 20th century. In the next section to the south, the space has been reconfigured, but the room to the north-west retains historic features: a plain 18th-century chimneypiece to the north wall, beside which is an arched buffet alcove, probably dating from the early 19th century. There is a wide panelled window embrasure, now altered and containing modern casements; a second window is interrupted by the south wall partition and extends into the next room. To the east is a modern bathroom.

The two-bay roof over the northernmost section of the east has three trusses with carpenters' marks counting I, II and III from north to south. The form of the structure is like that over the main range, with trusses supporting two rows of threaded purlins and with a single row of wind-braces. However, the junction between the two roofs may possibly suggest that this one was constructed slightly later. The southern parts of the roof are 20th-century.

In the south-west range on the ground floor, to the north is the stair hall, with the entrance from the passage to east and the stair rising to the west. There is also a doorway from the eastern shop. The open-well stair appears to be early 19th-century in date, with a wave moulding to the open string, square-section balusters, and a wreathed moulded handrail, ramped at the turn. Beneath the stair is a cupboard with a re-used early 19th-century door.

Each section of the range contains a single room on each floor. The first room on the ground floor is accessed both from the stair hall (door missing) and from the western corridor through a moulded doorframe with an early 19th-century six-panelled door. This room has early 19th-century shutters to the window rebates; the chimneypiece is a 20th-century replacement. Beyond, within the southern section of the range, is a void for a former fireplace now occupied by a boiler. The southern wall, formerly external but now leading to the late 20th-century lean-to, has a 19th-century ledged and braced door and a 19th-century casement window.

The plan of the first floor reflects that on the ground floor: the stair leads to a landing with a short stair to a corridor. The northern room has a window as in the room below, no chimney, and a modern door. Beyond is a modern bathroom. The roof structure over the west range is late 19th- or early 20th-century.