56 And 57, High Street

Two houses, numbers 56 and 57 High Street, were likely built in the late 15th or 16th century. They stand in a row and probably originated as a pair of small-scale houses constructed in a single build, although the roofline is broken at the shared party wall. Each house is built over an alleyway and was formerly jettied but has since been underbuilt. Number 56 is situated alongside Hamerton Court to its left, while number 57 is next to Locks Court on its right. Both properties feature steep-gabled, timber-framed wings at the rear.

Number 56 is two storeys with an attic, and has two windows. It features a single 2-light raking dormer window above two 2-light casement windows with mullions and moulded architraves, all set within replica timber framing on the first floor. A late 19th-century shop front with a glazed door and plain fascia is present, along with a recessed plank door leading to the throughway, Hamerton Court. A braced framed wall, including two large posts, one of which is jowelled, is located to the left. A stack and a large dormer window are visible on the rear wing, the dormer facing towards number 57.

Number 57 is two storeys with an attic and has a single window. A 2-light casement window in replica framing sits above a late 19th-century shop front with a set-back glazed door to the right, beneath a shallow transom light. The formerly jettied upper floor extends over Locks Court on the right, featuring braced framing and a post with a bracket marking the former jetty line. The rear gabled wing is similar to that of number 56.

The interior of number 56 is more complete than that of number 57. A 20th-century staircase leads to a first-floor front room, which contains a central cambered beam supported by a post in the front wall. Within the gabled wing, the original end gable retains propped principals and a single purlin. One of the main ties has been severely cut through to accommodate a door-head, and there is a large north-facing 3-light casement window that has been raised partly into a dormer. The south roof slope features a rising purlin. It's possible an early staircase is concealed in the central area between the two properties, though this could not be confirmed. In number 57, a very heavy cambered tie-beam is located in the party wall. Both properties have very low ceiling pitches and retain several 19th-century plank doors.