NHER 12025 (Building record) - 26 Church Plain (Sewell House)

26 Church Plain (Sewell House).

June 1953. Listed Grade II.

16th to 17th century timber framed house; plastered, restored 1932. Ground floor underbuilt in brick with modern imitation window. Decorative plastering on first storey has date 1641. Birthplace of Anna Sewell.
Details from (S1).
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU). Information from record card (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

26 April 1977. Field Observation.
Visit.
The timber framed gable projects west to street at right angles to main block of house; strangely, it blocks a dormer in the roof of the main block, but perhaps this is due to the 1930s restoration.
The projecting ground floor is in old brick; the date is in fact on a wooden beam on top of this. Weathervane with figure of horse.
House restored again 1976, and adjoining houses are at present being rebuilt onto it.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU). Information from record card (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

In fact, according to Planning Department, there is nothing original about the exterior of this house though it does have a timber frame visible on interior (not seen).
The window in the brick ground floor is genuine late 16th century but comes from 'a Row' and may be the model for the windows restored in the Tolhouse in about 1950.
The date 1641 is spurious and like the gable was made from Czech packing cases by the owner in 1930s.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 4 November 1982. Information from record card (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

Newpaper article (S3) refers to 17th-century panelling discovered in restoration "...believed to come from a sailing ship…". This should be treated with caution until definite identification made.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 16 December 1985. Information from record card (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.

(S4) confirms the above details but adds that building has a north wall of flint four feet [1.22m] thick suggested as part of the monastic buildings to north and that in 1978 "...an inglenook fireplace of about 1600 and a 17th century roof..." were uncovered.
E. Rose (NLA), 14 January 1997.

(S5) corrects (S4) in saying that the new front was added to the house in 1927 and not 1932.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 November 1997.

1998 revised listing (S1) keeps the date of 1932 and says the window came from Row 51.
E. Rose (NLA), 28 April 1999.

Press cuttings (S6)-(S11) in file.

Newspaper article (S12) Gives history of building in relation to author Anna Sewell.
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 29 October 2012.

Excerpt of current Listing Description:
"House, now restaurant. Probably early 17th century in origins when built as part of No.27 [NHER 65453]. Rendered and whitewashed brick with re-used timber elements. Pantiled roof. Two storeys and dormer attic; single window range. Façade built out in 1932 by AW Ecclestone using material salvaged by Harry Johnson. Four-light mullioned cross casement to ground floor salvaged from a house in Row 51...Gabled roof.
INTERIOR: 20th-century winder staircase, roof of principal rafters and one tier of taper-tenoned butt purlins. HISTORICAL NOTE: birthplace of Anna Sewell (1820-78), and house in which she wrote Black Beauty…"
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2022.