Details
SAFFRON WALDEN
TL5338 BRIDGE STREET
669-1/1/34 (West side)
28/11/51 No.31
(Formerly Listed as:
BRIDGE STREET
Nos.31 AND 33
Bridge End Cottage)
GV II*
House. C15, combined with No.33 (qv) in late C16, separated in
C20. Timber-framed and plastered, peg-tiled roof. 2 storey and
attic. L shaped plan of principal block and rear C20 lean-to
plus rear projecting late C16 stair tower to W at N end, large
rectangular stack shared with No.33 at N end.
Front, E elevation: jettied, first floor plastering shows
traces of ashlar lining, brace rising from S end of first
floor to eaves plate of adjoining house (No.29 (qv)) shows the
building to be a jettied end of a `Wealden', open hall house
(together with No.29). No.31 occupies the solar end unit.
Ground floor now below street level due to alteration of
street gradient. S-N, C19 door of 4 beaded panels, C20 2-light
casement window with leaded panes, bay window of 2 front
lights with glazing bars, 4x2 panes. C18 window reconstructed
in C20 with 2-lights, leaded panes. Adjacent window to N is
part of No.33. First floor 3-light casement window with leaded
panes, outer casements C20, centre one c1800, second window on
this elevation, to N part of No.33. Attic, gabled, peg-tiled
dormer window, 2 uneven casements, to left, C20 narrow, to
right, broad with decorative C17 latch plate. Stack rebuilt in
C20 but retains general massive form. Rear, W elevation: a
prominent gabled late C16 stair tower to N rising to first
floor with first floor C20 2-light casement window with leaded
panes. S side of tower has traces of old panel pargetting. To
S, ground floor lean-to has corrugated asbestos roof, fully
glazed central door with C20 glazed windows as 2 continuous
pairs each side, 2 lights each 2x2 panes, frieze system
continued to S by less deep end window of 2 lights. First
floor, 2 C20 casement windows, one double, 2x2 panes and one
single with leaded panes. Attic, gabled dormer, peg-tiled with
C20 double leaded casements.
INTERIOR: considerably altered and infilled. Jetty joists flat
laid, principals have step-stopped chamfers, common joists
jointed by diminished haunched soffit tenons. N end of jetty
floor disturbed and now runs into large inserted stack. Ground
floor front has central rectangular stud-mullion and 6 soffit
mortices for diamond mullions of large 8-light C15 window,
also associated shutter rebate. First floor, 3 similar soffit
mortices visible at rear, part of a C15 window with associated
shutter groove. Attic space, S end has remnant collar and cut
collar purlin of original crown-post roof now totally removed.
Below, second late C16 collar with recesses for side purlins
(now removed) of replacement roof truss. Massive body of late
C16 stack through N end of house. Ground floor fireplace has
rebuilt jambs, original thin bricks seen at back. First floor
has undisturbed plastered 4-centred arched head fireplace with
simple chamfer and, within, `ducks nest' cast-iron grate of
c1800 with vertical stripe decoration and medallion. Behind
stack flank, W side, contemporary stair tower shows framing
and roughly chamfered long central newel post with spiral
mortices for original treads, upper one survives together with
framing for landing and second newel post for upper handrail.
The heavy simple construction of the primary build is similar
to that of the whole original `Wealden' house (with Nos 27 &
29 (qv)). In the late C16 the solar end bay was separated off
to be the S end bay of a separate house (now No.33), having a
large new principal stack and necessary rear stair tower. The
existing curve of the road dictated a cranked front wall.
Parallel horizontal rows of large diameter peg-holes in the
studs of the S wall on the ground floor may be for warping
pegs used in the weaving trade and probably of C17 date.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Ratcliffe E: Essex:
London: 1965-: 336).
Listing NGR: TL5351938688
