The Bakers Arms

DROXFORD HIGH STREET

SU 61 NW (East Side) 7/17 The Bakers Arms

20.11.1986 II

House, later a public house. C18, extended early to mid C19, c1900, and late C20. Main wall of painted brick headers, plastered flat arches: wings of painted brickwork in Flemish Garden Wall bond. Clay tile roof. Rear elevations red brick with some burnt headers to the older parts.

EXTERIOR: Symmetrical front (W) elevation of 2 storeys and attic, 3 windows (centre blind). 4-over-8 pane sashes. Central late C20 porch not of special interest. Single-storey wings to either side of one window; that to N early-mid C19; that to S added c1900. These wings were remodelled late C20 to match style of main elevation. It has a pitched roof, with catslide to rear (extended late C20) and hipped dormers. A square brick stair tower, probably early-mid C19, emerges from the catslide to the rear. This may have been built to accommodate a resited stair when the house became a pub. C19 rear wing of 2 and one storeys (extended late C20, this is not of special interest).

INTERIOR: Ground floor altered, now one large room incorporating S extension. Brick chimney stack with exposed timber bressumer on N side, dog-leg stair to rear. The upper floor and attic plan comprises two rooms. There are old lath and plaster finishes to the attic rooms. Roof timbers are only partly visible but the roof appears intact.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: Of special interest as an C18 house, which though altered retains significant historic fabric. The rear stair tower is an unusual feature, more commonly associated with earlier buildings. It has group value with the Small House (qv) opposite. The late C20 additions to the rear and S are not of special interest; nor is the relatively recent bar interior.

Listing NGR: SP6211908592