55 and 57, Temple Street

This property comprises two dwellings, dating from the 16th to 17th centuries, with significant alterations around 1770-80 to the two left bays, and a slightly later addition to the right bay. The original timber frame is visible inside a cross wing on the right, featuring heavy studs and diagonal bracing, with herringbone brick infill. The left bays have been refaced with vitreous header brick, accented by red brick quoins, vertical strips, window surrounds, a first-floor band course and dentil eaves. The left bays also include paler red brick dressings and some rubble stone in the plinth. The right bay has a thin brick plinth and a dentil cornice below the attic window. The roof is tiled, with a prominent chimney constructed of thin brick, featuring grouped shafts, an off-set head, and a 'V' nib between the right bays; a later brick chimney is present to the left. The building follows an L-shaped plan. It has two storeys, an attic, and a cellar, with three bays. Most windows are 3-light leaded casements, primarily 20th-century replacements, although one first-floor window on the left is original. A 20th-century metal casement now occupies the ground floor left window position. The gabled bay to the right has a cellar opening, a tilting attic window, and segmental heads to all openings. Other windows have gauged brick heads. An 18th-century 6-panel door, set between the left bays, is contained within an architrave frame and has a flat wooden hood supported by brackets. Inside the cross wing, there is a brick fireplace with a chamfered 4-centred arch; heavy, stop-chamfered cross beams with run-out stops on moulded brackets; chamfered doorframes leading to the cellar and the main staircase; and a winder staircase of good quality.