Description
This information is taken from the statutory List as it was in 2001 and may not be up to date.
SAFFRON WALDEN
TL5338 MERCERS ROW 669-1/1/296 (South side) 01/11/72 No.1 (Formerly Listed as: MERCERS ROW No.1 The Coffee House)
II
Shop with restaurant over. C17 with later additions and C20 restoration. Timber-framed and rendered, peg tile and slated roofs. 2 storey and attic. Irregular rectangular plan of original L form with infilling of rear internal angle. N front elevation to Mercers Row: broad wing at E end, gable to street, right-angled range parallel to street. Red brick stack through roof apex at junction of blocks. Frontage mainly C20. All windows have glazing bars. Ground floor, W-E, C18 door with 6 fielded panels, upper panels now glazed, simple C20 doorcase. C20 fixed light, 2x3 panes. C19 triple sash window, 1x4, 3x4, 1x4 panes. C20 polygonal shop window taken round corner to Market Passage on E side comprises 7 similar, top opening glazed units, each of 2x4 panes and iron corner support pillar. First floor, under gable, 2 similar C20 2-light casements, each 4x4 panes. To W, C20 2-light casement 6x2 panes, C20 gable barge-boards. Rear, S elevation: gable of E block with smaller gable of infilling to W set forward with short slated lean-to range at right angles to W. Windows similar to front. Ground floor, E-W, C20 polygonal shop window of five 2x4 units (corner pillar). C20 2-light casement window, 4x4 panes. Projecting wing, C20 casement 2x3 panes, plain C20 door, C20 3-light casement window 6x3 panes. First floor, E-W, below original gable two c1900 sash windows, 3x4 panes, return E face of later addition. C20 sash window 4x4 panes. E elevation to Market Passage: ground floor polygonal shop windows at N and S ends. Central C20 door with upper glazing, 3x4 panes, directly above, on first floor, early C19 sash window 3x4 panes. Simple cornice between floors. INTERIOR: heavily restored C17 framing exposed with much reused timber in C20 work. Primary braced studding. Face-halved bladed scarf joint in wall plate. Broad gabled E end has pair of bridging joists to span width with original lamb's tongue chamfer stops. Floors, first and attic, have deep set diminished haunched tenoned common joists, roof of strong construction, triple butt side purlins, middle run joggled, with collars, half bay upper collars trapping upper purlin run. Common rafters butted and pegged to central purlins but ride behind upper and lower ones. Right angle range parallel to street less well preserved but roughly similar consruction. Lower part of stack, between units, of later C17 brickwork in English bond.
Listing NGR: TL5382438464