NHER 18617 (Building record) - 1, 3 and 5 Castle Street

1983. Visits during restoration work.
This group of three properties forms the western end of the north side of Castle Street where it enters the Market Place. Apparent Wealden house with one jettied wing demolished, or more probably a hall house with one jettied crosswing. The date of this building is probably 15th century. The house has a magnificent crownpost roof with openwork carved spandrels to arched braces to tiebeam. Later floors and divisions.
Reused medieval stonework and carvings and reused woodwork was found throughout building and probably dates from several different periods.
An Elizabethan coin hoard was found in wall during the renovations, and was declared treasure trove.
A mummified cat was found under the threshold of the northern service door.
Information from (S1).
See newspaper report (S2) in file.
See photographs (S3) in file.
No. 1 is listed Grade II, Nos. 3, 5 are Grade II*.
E. Rose (NAU) 1983, revised 31 October 1986.

In 1986 [1] gave NAU photographs and descriptions of two stone heads which he regards as Romano-Celtic which were found in the garden of No. 5. The circumstances and date of their discovery are unknown but they may have been amongst the reused carved stone found during the renovations, in which case they would seem more likely to be medieval corbels or grotesques from an ecclesiastical building.
See (S4) for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 3 November 1986.

See newspaper cutting (S5) in file.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 6 August 2008.