Details
SAFFRON WALDEN
TL5338 CASTLE STREET
669-1/1/61 (South side)
28/11/51 Nos.20, 22 AND 24
GV II
Nos 20 & 22, house and shop, now one property. Part of a
series of conjoined C16 and C17 units, early C19 shopfront and
early C20 refurbishment, restoration of rear. Timber-framed
and plastered, some exposed timber, peg-tiled roof. Plan, long
curved range to corner with Museum Street, roughly central
cross unit projecting at rear in T form. 2 storeys.
Front, N elevation: can be divided - W of gabled cross-wing
(No.20), short timber-framed unit with C20 timber-framed
lean-to porch with boarded and battened door, above, exposed
studding with a mid C16 3-light mullioned window, mullions
have roll and hollow mouldings. W end unit - exposed framing
clearly once a jettied cross-wing, upper jowled posts to
tie-beam, below, bull-nose jetty joists now supported by
original inner framed wall, now set forward flush with front,
roof now fully hipped. First floor window, 2-light casement
with glazing bars, 4x3 panes. Ground floor, early C20 applied
ovolo-moulded 3-light window, leaded lattice panes. Central
gabled unit has C20 rendering and C19 ornate cusped
barge-boards, ground floor, C20 bay window in early C19 style,
flat leaded roof, glazing bars, 5x4 panes, 1x4 in return
faces. First floor, 2-light C20 casement window 4x2 panes. To
E of gabled unit (No.22), exposed framing, roof ridge lifts,
ground floor, early C19 bow-fronted shop window on brick
plinth, 7x4 panes, curved ends 1x4 panes. Adjacent early C19
door, thin glazing bars to upper lights, 2x2 panes, 3 lower
sunk panels. Above, first floor 3-light early C20 lattice
glazed window as on W end unit. E end unit, framing plastered,
ground floor, C20 boarded garage door. First floor early C19
sash window, moulded architrave, 3x4 panes. No.24 of single
window range, ground floor C20 boarded door and 3-light
casement window, first floor C19 3-light sliding sash window,
now with leaded panes.
Rear S elevation: considerable C20 restoration, framing
rendered, all features also C20. W-E, gabled unit, ground
floor French window with side lights, glazing bars, total 4x4
panes, second gabled unit (as to street) projects, upper floor
jettied (features covered). Ground floor, 3-light casement
window 3x2 panes, first floor similar, 2-light 2x2 panes,
between units, stepped stage with first floor single light
casement window, stack in roof valley behind. To E of jettied
block, 2 units stepped back, one with outshut having catslide
roof and 2-light window 2x2 panes. Second (end) unit boarded
door and ground floor 3-light window, glazing bars, 6x3 panes.
No.24 now all C20.
INTERIOR: W-E, original cross-wing of 2 bays, enlarged by
extra bay at rear in C17, original mid C16 front floor
joisting, flat laid with step-stopped chamfers, diminished
haunched soffit tenons, original site of lower jetty wall
clear. Rear binding ceiling joist ovolo moulded with low grade
joists to simply carry a plastered C17 ceiling. C20 joist
replacement at S end. Stack on E side rebuilt but of C17
origin. Street gabled unit has remnants of open arched bracing
on both floors, top floor raised from window sill level. It
may have once served as a carriageway to the castle bailey.
Rear extended and old weathered framing now within house. Shop
unit, ceiling joists of early C17, deep section, also Roman
numeral carpenters' marks. First floor, late C16 curved
interior tension bracing simply pegged to studs. E end unit
ground floor has post-medieval primary bracing of E and W
ends. Rear framing heavy and earlier, now obscured by board
lining of first floor room. No.24 ground floor, was a
carriageway but infilled in C20, first floor also refurbished.
Listing NGR: TL5378438707
