The Merchant House

The Merchant House, 24, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6RE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1283430
Date first listed:
12-Jan-1973
List Entry Name:
The Merchant House
Statutory Address:
The Merchant House, 24, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6RE

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Location

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Date:
2002-08-05
Reference:
IOE01/06087/20
Rights:
© Mr Derek Routen. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1283430
Date first listed:
12-Jan-1973
Date of most recent amendment:
24-Jun-1988
List Entry Name:
The Merchant House
Statutory Address 1:
The Merchant House, 24, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6RE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
The Merchant House, 24, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6RE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Suffolk
District:
Mid Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:
Debenham
National Grid Reference:
TM 17222 63268

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 3 July 2023 to amend the name and address, and to reformat the text to current standards

TM 16 SE
6/76

DEBENHAM
GRACE CHURCH STREET
No.24 (The Merchant House)

(Formerly listed as Nos. 22 & 24)

12/1/73

GV
II

House. Late C14; parlour cell C15, largely reconstructed late C17. Renovated 1970's. Timber framed with smooth render. Pantiled roof, half-hipped to right with a gablet. Right gable end has a plinth of coursed flint rubble. This work extends under part of the house and may be the C12 foundations of St Mary of Grace church. Three-cell form with former open hall. Mainly reconstructed mullioned windows, the tall hall window moved slightly from its original position. Former shop window to right has boarded shutter. Lower window in right gable end has pent roof. Cross-entry has plank door dated 1694, brought from elsewhere. One raking dormer to left. Internal stack has plain axial shaft.

Interior. Medieval frame has reverse-curved braces. In rear wallplate a stop-splayed scarf joint with undersquinted and sallied butts and face pegs. Open truss retains head of C14 crown-post with thick four-way bracing; cruciform shaft of post is mid C20 (to original profile); the tie beam is a replacement re-using the old braces. Remainder of medieval roof largely intact, the half-hipped end a mid C20 reconstruction. Collar purlin has a stop-splayed scarf with square butts. Stack inserted into upper end of hall in early C16, replacing a timber flue: back-to-back fireplaces on ground floor. Inserted ceiling of same date has chamfered joists. Parlour has late C17 ceiling: heavy beam with nicked ogee stop-chamfers, small square joists. Service partition largely reconstructed. Two-centre arched doorway to rear, one of the blades original. Joists in service end are mostly mid C20 imports from a house in Colchester; they have stencilled quatrefoils and Tudor roses. Solid-tread stair at service end also brought from elsewhere.

Listing NGR: TM1722263268

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
281500
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of The Merchant House

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 15-Jun-2026 at 21:29:51.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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