Summary
A building of C18 and earlier origins, comprising Unit one (also known as Nan Gibbon's Cottage and The Victorian Cottage) and Unit two (also known as Acorn Cottage) formerly a shop, storage and housing, subdivided into six residential units in the late C20.
Reasons for Designation
Unit one (also known as Nan Gibbon’s Cottage and the Victorian Cottage) and Unit two (also known as Acorn Cottage) of no.1 High Street, Attleborough, a building of the C18 and earlier, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: attested by the exterior treatment of Units one and two which retain characteristics of an C18 and earlier building and the remnant of the earlier cross wing;
* Interior: the survival of a significant proportion of a C16 or C17 timber frame of good quality and craftsmanship in Unit two enhances the special interest of no. 1 High Street.
History
Attleborough is a town with Saxon origins of some importance, the name suggesting that it held 'burgh' status and thus was likely to have been fortified in some way. It has a partly Norman church enveloped by the historic core of the town which contains a number of listed buildings. No. 1 High Street lies to the south-east of the church in a former open area where, during the late C18, it was in use as a farmhouse. The cross wing is thought to have C16 origins. In the C20 the building has been variously used for retail and storage purposes, including an antiques showroom. In the early 1980s the main building was subdivided into six units, the barn to the rear (known as Rogues Fair barn) was also converted to residential use. The main range is divided into no. 1 High Street, also known in March 2015 as Nan Gibbon's Cottage, The Victorian Cottage and the Old Antiques Shop. During the conversion, most of the cross wing was rebuilt from the first floor upwards (Units one A and three), apart from the frontage at the gable end (Unit two, also known as Acorn Cottage). The single-storey shop front at the east end was demolished and replaced by a two-storey dwelling, known in 2008 as the Old Antiques Shop.
The building was listed in 1984, after the conversion, and was described as follows:
"Houses, now shop and houses. Mid C18. Rendered brick with pantiled roofs. Street front with cross wing to west. 2 storeys and attic. Street front with largely C20 detailing and C19 first floor windows. Gabled roof. Cross wing gable with entrance door to right of renewed casement. 2 first floor and one attic casement under hoods late C19. Bargeboard and gabled roof with 2 ridge stacks. Rear of this wing remodelled early 1980's. Rear courtyard retains 2 C18 sash windows with glazing bars."
There do not appear to be any C18 sash windows in the rear courtyard.
Details
A building of C18 and earlier origins, comprising Unit one (also known as Nan Gibbon's Cottage and The Victorian Cottage) and Unit two (also known as Acorn Cottage) formerly a shop, storage and housing, subdivided into six residential units in the late C20.
MATERIALS
The building is of rendered brick with interior timber framing surviving in Unit two of the cross wing. The roofs have pantile coverings.
EXTERIOR
The building has two storeys, partly with attics; the main range comprising Unit one is aligned east-west, fronting the High Street, and has a half-hipped roof. Unit two of the cross wing to the west, also known as Acorn Cottage, is similarly rendered with a gable roof. The facade has C20 doors and door openings and some C19 fenestration to both the main range and Unit two; there are hoodmoulds to the windows of the Unit two. The rear of the main range is largely obscured.
INTERIOR
Only the interior of Unit two was inspected where in the front gable end, timber framing of the C16 and later has been exposed. Some timbers are re-used and some posts on the ground floor are replaced with brick piers of handmade bricks. Timber wall framing to the west elevation and partly to the east, and the frontage cross wall, remain at ground and first-floor level. An attic ceiling has been inserted at a later date, and comprises chamfered and stopped axial bridging beams. The roof structure is said to comprise common coupled rafters with collars; the latter were observed and appear to be of C17 or later date.
Number one A and Unit three were largely rebuilt during the conversion, and the Old Antiques Shop has been rebuilt in the late-C20 or early-C21; all are excluded from the listing. Rogues Fair Barn was not referred to in the original listing and is also excluded.
