32, High Street

1. 5180 HIGH STREET (South Side) No 32 SX 8060 SW 1/55A 7.1.52.

II* GV

1. Late C18 front to merchant's house of circa 1560, built by Richard Brooking, Mayor in 1577. Shown since circa 1500 as the Mayor's house. "Une maison a deux corps de batiments" type with ruins of former kitchen block at rear. 3 storeys. 2 paired windows to 1st floor. Hipped Welsh slate roof. Plaster front. Dentil eaves cornice. Architraved sash windows with glazing bars; 1 window to 2nd floor. Interesting interior which retains in ground floor rear room C14 or C15, granite open fireplace of former hall of medieval building; corbelled hood carried on simplified pilasters; hood with carved central star and shield motif; mantle carried round to form sconce brackets (of similar fireplace at Nos 43/45 High Street). Same room has plaster frieze with foliated decoration, and plaster ceiling of circa 1560 with ribwork enriched with rosette and fleur-de-lis motifs; fine oak panelling dated 1577 moved from upstairs. 1st floor front room with cornice and fret decoration in frieze panels. Late C17 open staircase, inserted into end of Elizabethan ground floor rear room (former parlour), with closed string, turned balusters and square newels surmounted by ball finials. 1st floor front room (former fore-hall) with plaster ceiling enriched with ribwork, rosettes and pendants; plaster frieze with foliated decoration. Grade II* for internal features. (M. Laithwaite).

Listing NGR: SX8016060434