Kings Arms

The Kings Arms is a 16th or early 17th century inn, refaced in the 18th century, and now comprises three properties. It is located on the south side of Market Street, and has been altered. The building is three storeys high and constructed of rubble, with Nos 5 and 7 plastered. The roof is slate, and there are five chimneys. The irregular facade has four gabled bays facing the street, with an addition to the right over a yard entrance. Quoins are visible on the left-hand side. The third bay is narrower than the others and has windows with simple sills and reveals. The other bays have windows with plain stone surrounds; the first and fourth bays have tripartite windows, and the second bay has coupled windows. The windows to No. 7 are sash windows, while those to Nos 5 and 9 are sashed with all glazing bars. All three gables feature Diocletian windows with ogee glazing bars. No. 7 has a doorway with wooden Doric pilasters and an entablature, and a heavily studded plank door. Doorways to Nos 5 and 9 have plain stone surrounds and modern doors. No. 9 has a 19th century shop window with a plain surround and cornice. Modern glazing is present throughout. An end wall facing east has a three-light stone window with a chamfered surround and mullions on the first floor. At the rear, a four-light window with moulded mullions and round heads to the lights, probably 19th century, was recently inserted on the ground floor of No. 7. It is said to have come from a church at Skerton near Lancaster. A wooden three-light window is present in the gable of No. 9.

The interior of No. 5 features exposed beams and a heavy collar roof. No. 7 has a wattle and daub partition to the left of the front door. There is a massive 16th or 17th century segmental headed fireplace with ingle nooks and a recess for a spice cupboard. On the first floor, there is a muntin and plank partition and a 17th century panelled partition. No. 9 has an early 18th century chimneypiece with a cornice in the front ground floor room. The back room has built-in cupboards with raised and fielded panels. A four-flight closed string dogleg staircase and landing has turned and square newels, turned balusters, a moulded handrail, and string. The first-floor front room has a mid-18th century chimneypiece, and a muntin and plank partition is on the staircase. The outline of a cambered truss on a corbel is visible in the attic (the roof of No. 7 is said by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments to be similar). The building has served as an inn since the 17th century, but was originally built as the manor house of the town, with a recessed centre and wings. The building sustained significant damage, and in 1934 the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments recorded two five-light windows at the rear and a moulded 17th century ceiling.