Oxfam Roxton Sporting Swan Lace

Nos. 3, 3A, 5 and 7 West Market Place, Cirencester

A row of three shops with flat over, dating from the 16th or early 17th century and probably incorporating medieval origins. The buildings have been substantially altered, with late 18th and early 19th-century refronting and early 20th-century shopfronts. The building to the left is 19th century, possibly with earlier origins, and has undergone 20th-century alterations. The row is now in multiple ownership but operated as one with internal access between buildings. It includes Swan Lace occupying No. 7 and its associated Swan Yard.

The frontage presents lined-out stucco across the principal elevations. The roofs are covered in Welsh slate with parapeted construction; the right section features a hip to the front. Brick lateral stacks rise to the right sides of both the left and right sections. The rear wing to the right is early 19th century, built in coursed squared limestone with a concrete tile roof and brick stack on the gable end. The rear wing to the left comprises two parts: the upper section has stucco to the right side and coursed squared limestone rubble to the gable end, with Welsh slate roof and brick stack, while the lower rear section is rendered with a concrete tile roof.

The building to the left is a three-storey, four-window range. The first floor contains four single-light windows in plain reveals with projecting cills and 20th-century leaded casements. The second floor has three sashes—two 4/4-pane examples flanking a central 6/6-pane sash—all with horned features characteristic of the 19th and 20th centuries, set in plain reveals with projecting cills. The ground floor is occupied by a 20th-century timber shopfront featuring two curved plate glass windows and a glazed door to the right with a single-pane overlight, all set within a surround of pilasters, heavy console brackets, a frieze and moulded cornice with blind box. Above, a band course sits over the second floor, with bracketed eaves cornice and blocking course at the roofline.

The building to the right is two storeys and four windows. The first floor contains four 6/6-pane sashes in plain reveals. The ground floor features a pair of early 20th-century timber shopfronts in Art Nouveau style, each with sinuous glazing bars to two windows flanking a glazed door, all contained within heavy surrounds with pilasters, frieze and moulded cornice incorporating a blind box. A parapet over the eaves is moulded as frieze and cornice. A clock mounted on an ornamental iron bracket is fixed at first-floor centre.

The rear wing facing Swan Yard has two early 19th-century 6/6-pane sashes to the first floor and one similar sash to the ground floor, with a small 20th-century shopfront. A flat unmoulded door surround with keyed lintel is now blocked. The rear wing of the building to the left is two storeys with single-storey and attic sections, featuring 20th-century windows, rooflights and one gabled dormer containing a single-light casement to the rear portion. An offset buttress marks the junction of the two ranges.

The interior reveals substantial medieval and early modern framing. The cellar has six stone brackets to the front right, no longer supporting the floor, and one small bracket possibly indicating a missing feature—all possibly of medieval date. The ground floor to the left contains two boxed-out beams with panelled soffits to front and rear. The ground floor centre has two plastered beams with applied run plaster cornice and two further plastered beams to the rear. The interior to the right has two cross-axial heavy moulded beams, probably 16th or early 17th century to the ground floor front, one chamfered spine beam with run-out stop to the first floor front, and one cross-axial heavy unmoulded beam to the ground floor rear. The Oxfam shop to the front contains a 20th-century staircase and 20th-century shopfittings. Access to the first floor flat was not possible at survey.