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Summary

17th to 18th century features of a 16th century timber building excavated in 1979

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01389.02.200
  

Monument Type(s):

• TIMBER FRAMED HOUSE (16th century to Elizabethan - 1551 AD to 1600 AD)
• BEAM SLOT (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)
• HEARTH (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)
• OVEN (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)
• POST HOLE (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)
• WALL (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)
• WELL (17th century to 18th century - 1601 AD to 1800 AD)

Full Description

DEMOLITION OF "QUEEN ANNE" BRICK-FRONTED BUILDING REVEALED A LATE C15TH? HALL HOUSE RECORDED (DRAWN AND PHOTOGRAPHED) BY ASTILL. SEE ALSO SMR 1459 FOR MESOLITHIC FLINTS FOUND DURING EXCAVATION.

During Vince's excavation of this site in 1979, brick wall footings of the 17th or 18th century were identified at the front of the property. At the back, the two previous properties were amalgamated into one timber building on dwarf walls, to which were added a brick chimney and an oven. A reconstruction of the building, Phase 7, is shown in Wessex Archaeology's report <1>.

The roof and first floor walls of this building survived until 1976, when it was demolished, and seem to have been recorded to some level; Vince's preliminary report on the site says that they were dated by the National Monuments Record to the late 16th century <2>. Astill notes that demolition revealed behind the 18th century façade was an open hall and arch brace roof <3>.

In Phase 7a <1>, of the 17th and 18th centuries, walls 2144, 2151 and 2164 were built of Reigate stone and oolitic limestone blocks set in clay. The brick chimney stack (2135 and 2128) was built in the north-east corner with a peg tile hearth (2131) and a brick oven (2127). The floors had been removed by 19th century flooring. In Phase 7b, a timber-framed building was also built at the front. It survived in parts until 1976 and the north gable end, with its original lath and cob panelling, was still standing in 1980 behind a brick retaining wall and butresses.

In Phase 7c <1>, the frontage of the standing building was refaced with brick. The windows and doors were dated to the early 18th century. The roof of No.s 143 and 144 was raised by half a storey and the building extended to the south over an alleyway. The ground floor of No. 143 may have originally been wooden.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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