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Summary

Former location of Grade II* listed timber framed house, once The Old King's Head, refronted in brick in the 18th to 19th century, demolished in 1973

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II*): ø 1/132 No. 1 No. 3 Rec. for Delisting
  House and shops. One building. A C.18-19 three storeyed grey red brick refronting on a C.16 timber-framed house. Once the "The Old King's Head" in 1643 and originally must have been a house of some importance. An extending wing at back on S. Side has 3 gables in brick. Interior: In ground floor are excellent heavy oak moulded and enriched C.16 beams dividing the ceiling into panels.

Monument Type(s):

• TIMBER FRAMED HOUSE (16th century - 1501 AD to 1600 AD)
• TOWN HOUSE (16th century to Late 20th century - 1501 AD? to 1973 AD)
• INN (Elizabethan to 17th century - 1601 AD? to 1643 AD)
• SHOP (18th century to Late 20th century - 1701 AD? to 1973 AD)

Full Description

A building numbered as 1 and 3 Market Place, was listed at Grade II* in the Newbury Borough list <1> and described as an 18th-19th century three storeyed grey red brick refronting of a 16th century timber framed house. It had apparently been The Old King's Head in 1643 and was considered to have originally been a house of some importance <1><6>. Inside on the ground floor were heavy oak moulded and enriched 16th century beams dividing the ceiling into panels. At the time of listing it was a house and shops.

The building is shown but not named on the late 19th century Town Plan <2>; on the 3rd Epoch Ordnance Survey of 1933-4 it is marked as an inn <3>, although this does not tally with a description by Campbell Cooper in the 1930s <4>, who referred to it as the Tudor saddler's shop of Mr Martin. He noted its historical importance and the good state of preservation of the oak ceiling <4><7>.

Land between Bartholomew Street and the Market Place and Cheap Street was extensively redeveloped in the 1970s to become the Kennet Centre. Nos 1 and 3 were recommended for delisting <1>, and had been demolished by the early 1970s when a team led by Stan Ford started a rescue excavation here and at No 1 Bartholomew Street, about 75m to the west <7>. Although no building recording appears to have been undertaken of Nos 1 and 3 Market Place prior to demolition, many of Ford's archaeological observations of his Site 2 relate to the footings and construction of this building. It replaced a medieval building in about the late 16th century, and had very well made foundations, created from old roof tiles laid in many courses. The lower courses were bonded with clay but the upper ones were set in mortar. The new entrance to this building may have been a brick one. In about 1800 the interior was extensively refurbished with the result that only traces of the 16th century layout remained. The large front room was supplied with a fireplace. At some time a brick floor was put down but was mostly removed during various alterations which culminated in modern shop fronts and interiors. Ford gives the date of demolition as 1973, and also notes that during the life of the building, 'it retained its C16 panelled ceiling until removed by members of the excavation team just prior to its demolition' <7>.

West Berkshire Museum has a photograph showing the frontage in the 1960s prior to demolition <9>. The building had a tiled roof with chimney stacks at the ends, 3 sash windows one either side on both first and second floors, and modern display windows on either side of the entrances on the ground floor.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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