Description

James Thomson, dated 1905, possibly incorporating 1647 fabric. 2-storey, 3-bay (above ground) gabled public house with mock half-timbering, in irregular terrace to W. Painted ashlar and harl. Base course, deep ground floor frieze and cornice, and eaves course. Architraved windows to 1st floor N. Stone mullions.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: broad dividing pilasters with wall-shaft and thistle-carved corbel dividing recessed bays. Panelled timber door with multi-pane fanlight immediately right of centre, canted window with round-arched centre light in bay to right, and similar window with 2 centre lights in bay to left; painted sign in further bay (blocked door?) to outer left. Full-width frieze with traditional lettering giving way to cornice with cartouche-style stops, that to right with 'MCMV', that to left with '?KJ'. 1st floor with small carved stone (base for statue or sundial?) to outer left; centre bay with single window over carved stone dated '1647' and with 'RSY/I?', abutting jettied base (with arrowslit) of shouldered stack piercing gable above; flanking bays each with bipartite window and half-timbered gablehead. 2 small modern rooflights.

E ELEVATION: broad gabled elevation with single window high up at 1st floor.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: variety of elements to asymmetrically-fenestrated elevation including forestair to 1st floor timber porch and decoratively-astragalled barred window to right also at floor.

Fixed glazing with multi-pane top lights to ground and uPVC glazing to 1st floor N, 12-pane glazing pattern in modern timber sash and case window at E. Grey slates. Cavetto-coped harled stack to N and truncated gablehead stack to E, both with cans. Ashlar-coped skews with moulded skewputts; mutuled bargeboarding and spike finials; cast-iron downpipe with decorative rainwater hopper.

INTERIOR: largely non-traditional later 20th century decorative scheme but retaining some timber panelling at ground, and moulded cornices at 1st floor.

Statement of Interest

Local architect James Thomson designed a number of shop and tenement blocks in South Street, as well as the fine Post Office at East Pier Street. Established in 1647, the 'Carriers' was a posting inn with stables (much altered and converted to a store) at the rear. Tradition says that the licensee was obliged to provide hay and water at no extra charge for all lodger's horses. During refurbishment circa 1995, a journal (or sweetheart's book) was discovered hidden in the rafters.

Recommended Books

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments