Summary
A timber-framed building with C16 origins, and C19 and C20 alterations and additions.
Reasons for Designation
15 Bridge Street, Bridgnorth, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a high-quality C16 building, formerly jettied along two sides, its early form externally disguised by later alterations but still clearly evident to the interior;
* for the survival of internal timber framing which indicates the early structure and plan form, and displays a high level of craftsmanship.
* for the design interest of its later re-fronting, including a later shopfront.
Historic interest:
* as an example of the refronting of timber-framed buildings in the C18 and C19;
* for its survival among the earliest secular buildings in Bridgnorth, illustrating the development of the town.
History
Bridgnorth is prominently located on the banks of the River Severn and the town’s importance as a river crossing and trading hub was central to its development. Until 1447, when a bridge was built downstream at Bewdley, Bridgnorth was one of only three bridging points over the central River Severn, attracting both road and river trade. In addition, the town was strategically and militarily important and on the outbreak of the Civil War, Bridgnorth became an important Royalist stronghold. The number of timber-framed buildings in the town was thought to have diminished following an attack by Parliamentary Forces in 1646 which led fire to spread quickly through the town. However, of those buildings that survived, some were later disguised by masonry facades and frontages.
An example of this can be seen at 15 Bridge Street where its external rendered appearance has disguised the timber-framed structure evident to the interior. The location of 15 Bridge Street, between the markets in High and Low Town, close to the bridge, river, and quaysides, and on a corner plot with an elevation onto Cartway, suggests that the building would have been well situated for trade or commercial purposes. Analysis of the building during a dendrochronological survey around 2011 found that the sample of timber tested had been felled in 1506, suggesting the building may have been constructed as early as the C16 and may be among the earliest surviving secular buildings in Bridgnorth. 15 Bridge Street may have initially been a private house selling beer. The surviving arrangement of timbers suggests that the structure was jettied along both its south and west sides. By the C19 the first-floor jetty had been underbuilt and a shopfront installed, the building was externally rendered, and the projecting joists had been subsumed into the building. In the early C20 it was used by Wilson's Brewery and Ind Coope Brewery and by 1916 was in the occupation of Ind Coope and Co as brewery stores. The building was put to multiple uses through the C20 century, including a green grocer and general store, cafe, delicatessen and restaurant. An east-facing rear range was demolished around the 1980s, and the single storey extensions to the west elevation had been constructed, giving the building its present footprint. By the early-C21, 15 Bridge Street was in use as a bar and restaurant, with residential accommodation to the upper floor.
Details
A timber-framed building with C16 origins, and C19 and C20 alterations and additions.
MATERIALS: the building is timber framed with a rendered exterior and painted brick to the rear. The ground floor features a timber shop front. Windows to first and second floors are uPVC.
PLAN: the building has a broadly rectangular footprint and is located on a corner plot between Cartway, Underhill Street and Bridge Street. The building’s principal elevation faces south towards Underhill Street. Its western elevation runs along Cartway.
EXTERIOR: the building is composed of two bays over two storeys plus an attic. The principal south elevation features a mid-C19 shopfront on the ground floor with moulded cornicing and four square pilasters flanking a central doorway containing a half-glazed door and fan light and two-over-two windows on either side. To the first floor is a central canted oriel window, and above this are two gabled attic dormers.
The west elevation features a gable with cusped bargeboards and a modern window. The northern section of the building is stepped in slightly and abuts the north facing gable. The roof of this section features two attic dormers and a brick stack within the roof slope. The four first-floor windows are modern replacements. Along the ground floor of the west elevation is a shallow lean-to, tiled to the north and flat-roofed to the south. It is canted on the southwest corner, A passageway runs east to west through the building where it adjoins 45 Cartway. The interior of the passageway features chamfered beams and vertical studwork infilled with painted brick. The rear, east side of the building is also faced in painted brick and features a pitched roof extension and external staircase.
INTERIOR: the ground floor features chamfered ceiling beams and timber supporting posts, with a modern inserted staircase and bar. To the south-west corner is a diagonal dragon beam approximately 4m long. Through the modern bar is a jowel post with a west-facing bracket supporting the end of a projecting joist. There is a decorative cast metal supporting post in the north section of the ground floor.
On the first floor, there are jowel posts visible to the interior side of the west wall. Beams to this floor are chamfered and stopped. Walls feature close studding, box framing, and some diagonal bracing to the south wall.
