92, 93 AND 94 BRADENSTOKE

Reputedly monastic guest house; converted to house, then subdivided into three cottages. Dating from the late 15th century; converted to a house in the mid to late 16th century and into three cottages around the 18th century. Timber-framed, close-studded and jettied with moulded bressumer at front, plastered panels, large framing at back with curved tension-braces and some brick nogging. Stone tile roof with hipped and gabled ends. Ashlar axial stack with weathering, moulded cap and later brick shaft; enormous stone rubble external gable end stack with set-offs and brick shaft.

Plan: The original 2-storey putative guest house was truncated and converted to a 3-room and cross-passage plan house in circa mid to late 16th century with kitchen at the right end and hall at centre. Around the 18th century it was subdivided into three cottages, the centre being a shop. Later 19th and 20th century outshuts were added at the rear.

Exterior: Two storeys. Asymmetrical 1:4 window to the south east front, the four original bays with close-studding and jettied on moulded bressumer supported on curved joist ends; left bay of jettied range plastered; 19th century casements with iron frames, centre first floor with leaded panes, left replaced in the 20th century; centre ground floor features an 18th century shop front with 19th century central flush-panel door, overlight and flanking 12-pane sashes with thick glazing bars and old glass; doorway to right has 19th century flush-panel door with small canopy on brackets. Set back to left is a stone rubble bay with 20th century casements. Huge stone stack on right end. Rear north west slate-hung gable on left with late 19th century brick outshut below, 19th century brick outshut at centre and late 20th century conservatory on right.

Interior: Nos. 93 and 94: right-hand room (kitchen) has stone flag floor and moulded axial beam and chamfered joists with step stops, very large fireplace with chamfered Tudor arch timber lintel and chamfered dressed stone jambs; back of room partitioned off by panelled partition. Heavy timber-framed partition on either side of cross-passage. Left-hand room has intersecting moulded ceiling beams forming four ceiled panels, 16th/17th century panelling, fireplace with moulded stone jambs and moulded Tudor arch timber bressumer with carved spandrels with initials RB; this room partitioned at back by plastered wall with 17th century panelled door. First floor divided into four chambers with axial and lateral plastered stud partitions and partly panelled. Left-hand front chamber has moulded stone Tudor arch fireplace. Front right-hand room has small chamfered stone fireplace with cambered arch. No. 92 has moulded axial beam, chamfered joists with step stops and fireplace with moulded stone jambs and replaced lintel; fireplace in chamber above with moulded stone jambs and moulded Tudor arch timber lintel with carved spandrels and later cross at centre; left room has blocked unglazed timber window in end wall. The frame has jowled storey-posts and curved braces. Later queen-post roof structure with clasped purlins, the common-rafters and ridge-piece replaced; cross-gabled at right end with curved wind-brace.

An interesting late medieval timber-framed building, reputedly a guest house for Bradenstoke Priory (Ancient Monument).