Description

WORCESTER

SO8554NW FRIAR STREET
620-1/17/290 (West side)
22/05/54 Nos.26-32 (Even)

GV II*

House and shop, now restaurant. Numbered right to left,
described left to right. In 2 builds. Mainly C16, origins to
southern (left) part of late C15/early C16, with further range
at north (right) of mid C16 and later additions and
alterations including interior decorations c1580-1600.
Probably for the Hughes family. Timber frame with plaster
infill over wattle and daub, with plain tile roof, off-centre
left ridge and rear brick stacks with oversailing courses and
pots.
PLAN: to south a cross wing, 2 bays deep and gable end to
street, with further 2-bay section parallel to street
containing cross-passage to its north (right) end and further
cross wing at north; additional range parallel to central
range. 2 storeys with attic to left (south) gable, 4 bays.
TIMBER FRAMING: large square panels with 5 large tension
braces to first floor. First floor is jettied with bressumer
beams, second floor at north has jetty to gable. Frieze over
ground floor window of south cross wing has pairs of scrolls.
EXTERIOR: first floor has three replacement multi-pane
leaded-light casement windows, similar window to north (right)
gable. Sprocket eaves at centre. Ground floor has off-centre
right, left and far right entrances (that to far right or
north is on site of cross passage), plank doors. Exposed
panels of timber framing to rear.
INTERIOR: extensive timber framing survives to interior, some
renewed re-using old timbers. The surviving roof trusses of
the cross wing are clasped purlins with three queen posts,
exposed rafters. Staircase to rear of stack. Close studding to
first-floor partition walls. Jowled posts. To ground floor at
south end the parlour ceiling painted with scrolled stems with
leaves and strawberries on the spaces between the joists, the
joists being coloured red.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the building history of this dwelling is
complex, the south cross wing forms part of a former separate
2-bay structure (the left part of which has been demolished).
Of the original cross wing only 2 trusses survive, this
southerly wing probably contained the shop, a room behind and
two over. The shop had a large window with a central mullion,
near the sill there are holes in the studs to take dowels
which acted as hinges for falling shutters
which opened outwards to form a table. The first-floor window
of the cross wing originally projected, supported by two
brackets. The central section and north crosswing form another
structure. The interior painted decoration is a notable
survival from an urban property of the period. The central
section contained a cross passage at its north end giving
access to the rear of the building and a hall with chambers
over. The earliest known owner was Francis Hughes (d1614),
brewer and surgeon; probably during his occupancy the shop was
turned into a parlour with wainscot and a painted ceiling (mid
C16). The Hughes family appear to have lived here before
Francis, Lay Subsidy Rolls note a 'John Ewes, taylor' in the
area c1526-44, when Thomas Highe takes his place. The timber
structure that now stands is only part of the original
building, which extended both to the south and north (over the
site of Nos 22 and 24 (qqv)), no evidence of this remains.
Friar Street originated as a rear access lane for buildings in
the High Street until the foundation of the Franciscan Friary
in 1235. The first Friary buildings occupied the stretch
between Nos 11-25. The south end of the street was developed
first, with plots dating from the mid C14, plots at the north
end date from the early C15. Many of the existing houses date
from the Reformation, the Friary having been suppressed in
1539 and its property sold by the Crown to the Corporation of
Worcester which demolished much for building materials.
Building continued from c1540 onwards, modifications were made
during the C17 whilst the C18 saw the replacement of several
older buildings. The street was inhabited mainly by tradesmen:
weavers, clothiers, brewers and innkeepers.
(Hughes P and Molyneux N: Friar Street: 1984-: 30-31; The
Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Worcestershire:
Harmondsworth: 1968-1985: 328; Hughes P: Buildings and the
Building Trade in Worcester 1540-1650: PhD thesis: 1990-: 174;
Molyneux N, Hughes P, Price S: Vernacular Architecture Group
Spring Conference Programme: 1995-).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17548155

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas