85,87, HIGH STREET

This is a house, originally of timber frame construction, now divided into two shops at 85 and 87 High Street, Knaresborough. The core of the building dates from the 16th to early 17th century, with alterations made in the 19th century. The building has a Westmorland slate roof with four courses of stone slates along the eaves. It is one storey with an attic, and originally comprised three bays. Number 85 features a 20th-century plate-glass shop door, window, and fascia. Number 87 has a 19th-century surround to a 20th-century door and window. An attic window is set under the eaves, likely an original opening, and a large 3-light 20th-century cross-window extends above the eaves line on the right-hand side. A large brick stack is situated on the ridge between bays two and three. The interiors of both shops reveal timber framework in the attic. Surviving elements include the gable ends, a rear wall, and two cross walls, likely substantially original. The roof structure features large cambered tie-beam trusses with queen posts and purlins; while ridge and rafter details are obscured by plaster and boarding, they are likely intact. The main posts of the trusses have been cut off approximately 90 centimetres below the tie beam level to accommodate the shop window of number 85. The rear wall is close-studded, with what is probably original wattle and daub infilling, now acting as an internal wall, and extended by a rear aisle under a cat-slide roof.