Details
TL 8422-8522 COGGESHALL MARKET HILL
(south-east side)
9/152 Nos. 14 and 15
31.10.66 (formerly listed as
No. 15 (Constantines)
(Westminster Bank)
GV II*
House, now shop and house. Circa 1600, altered in C19. Timber framed,
plastered with some painted brick, and exposed framing at rear, roofed with
handmade red plain tiles and slate. The main range follows the line of the
street, comprising 3 bays facing NW, with an axial stack in the middle bay, and
2 bays at the right end angled sharply backwards to face WSW, with an axial
stack at the right end. Rear wing of 2 bays at the left end, with an original
stack at the junction, and adjacent rear wing of one bay to right of it; C19
external stack. Originally of 2 storeys, the right 3 bays of the main range
raised to 3 storeys in early C19; cellar and attics. The 2 left bays have on
the ground floor one sash of 4 lights and one tripartite sash of 2-2-2 lights,
both late C19; and on the first floor one splayed oriel of late C19 sashes of
2-4-2 lights and one early C19 sash of 16 lights, the latter with a late C19
cast iron window-box holder; moulded 5-panel door in late C19 doorcase with
jewel heads to the pilasters, and a moulded shallow canopy; ground floor faced
with C19 brickwork, painted, possibly concealing an underbuilt jetty; moulded
parapet, and steep roof, tiled. The 3 right bays have a late C19 corner
shopfront with a window to each side and a half-glazed door at the angle, plain
overlight, 6 pilasters with cyma capitals, 4-panel door to left with plain
overlight, and continuous fascia and moulded cornice over all; to right, one C20
window in C19 aperture with segmental brick arch, this part of painted brick; on
the first and second floors, 3 early C19 sashes of 16, 12 and 12 lights
respectively, with crown glass (the lower left window having a late C19 cast
iron window-box holder); slate roof of shallow pitch with long overhanging
eaves. At the rear the longer wing was originally jettied on 3 elevations, now
underbuilt at the sides only, with exposed joists of square section; on the
ground floor one original window with one ovolo mullion and one of 2 diamond
saddle bars, and one early C19 sash of 4+8 lights; on the first floor, exposed
studding, mortices for a former oriel, one early C19 sash of 16 lights
(defective), and to each side of it an original flank window with one ovolo
mullion and 2 diamond saddle bars; attic storey, one early C19 sash of 10+10
lights (defective). The shorter rear wing has an underbuilt jetty with similar
exposed joists; on the ground floor one early C19 sash of 5+10 lights; on the
first floor, exposed studding and an original frieze window of 3-4-3 lights,
with all diamond saddle bars complete in the outer lights, a rare survival;
attic storey, one early C19 sash of 10+10 lights (defective). An inserted axial
beam above the first floor is exposed externally; straight bracing trenched to
the outside of the studding; chisel-cut carpenters' assembly marks. At the
angle of the main range is an early C19 half-glazed door, and on the first floor
of the next bay is an early C19 sash of 12 lights. The original stack between
the left bay of the main range and the left rear wing has a blocked ground-floor
hearth at the front, and at the rear a wide wood-burning hearth with chamfered
depressed arch and rear splays; on the first floor a blocked hearth at the front
and a C20 grate at the rear. To left of the blocked ground-floor hearth is an
C18 cupboard with semi-circular arch, spheroid interior and profiled shelves.
Original moulded door to cellar. The axial stack has on the ground floor an
early C19 panelled fire surround, and an arched recess beside it; and on the
first floor a wide wood-burning hearth with depressed arch, reduced for an early
C19 hearth with moulded surround and paterae. Also on the first floor is an C18
corner cupboard with doors of 8 fielded panels, fluted pilasters and profiled
shelves. Internally most of the frame is plastered, with exposed chamfered
beams with lamb's tongue and notch stops, and dragon beams in the longer rear
wing. A first-floor door into this wing is original, of 2 moulded wide planks
on battens, and another door within the first floor is of 2 pine panels with
pencilled graffiti dating from the Boer War. This house was formerly called
Lady Ventriss's or Constantine's, from Richard Constantine who was the owner in
the reign of James I (G.F. Beaumont, A History of Coggeshall in Essex, 1890,
231). Listed at the higher grade for exterior features at the rear, for
internal features, and as an exceptionally complete house of its period with
only one major phase of alteration, in the early C19. RCHM 53.
Listing NGR: TL8502522588
