NHER 31033 (Building record) - The Gables

The Gables, High Street.

February 1952. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"House, perhaps former warehouse of 17th century, adapted to house late 18th century. Brick, colourwashed pink, black glazed pantiles. Seven irregular bays, two storeys and attic, passage and staircase extension to rear, two-storeyed rear extension of service wing in three builds to left. Painted stone plinth, dentil cornice renewed, moulded cornice to front return of gable end walls, shaped gables, axial stack between bays one and 2 two, internal stack at right gable end, shaft renewed...Lower two-storey extensions to rear at left in three builds of pebble flint under pantiles, some dressings of early brick, two bays with external stack now incorporated into lower single bay extension which has an additional bay...Interior: continuous nine-bay attic roof of three tiers, staggered purlins, middle tier braced, collars, curved oak principal rafters all reused, perhaps from dismantled ships, some pine rafters, some reused spars. Door to bay four asymmetrical to foyer, wide segmental arch at rear of foyer to rear passage and stair turret; cantilevered curved open-string stair, mahogany handrail with inset strip of light wood, ebony centre to wreath above fluted newel, rail ramped to landing. Groined vaulting to rear passage first floor. Late C18 fireplaces to north-east gable stack with duck's nest grates, that to ground floor with Prince of Wales feathers and motto, surround of Dutch tiles. Raised and fielded panels to first floor room left.

February 1995. Field Observation.
Street façade of building seen by E. Rose (NLA), 2 February 1995.
House, possibly 17th-century warehouse that was converted to house in 18th century. Brick, colourwashed pink when listed, now dirty clue. Seven irregular bays, two storeys and attic. Two storeyed rear service wing. Plinth, stated to be of stone painted over; dentil cornice renewed, moulded at returns. Shaped gables. Axial chimneystack and internal right gable chimneystack. Replaced flush sashes and pilastered doorway. Extensions at rear have some early brickwork and incorporate an external chimneystack. Stair turret with lead dome. Interior has continuous nine bay roof of three tiers, bracing to middle tier, perhaps formed from dismantled ship. Stair turret has ornate stair approached by wide arch. Groined vaulted first floor passage. Late 18th-century ducks-nest fireplace, and fireplace with Prince of Wales feathers and Dutch tiles, in northeast chimneystack. Some panelling.
Information from Listed Building Description.
Street façade of building seen by E. Rose (NLA), 2 February 1995. The bricks have diagonal skintlings, i.e. date to between late 17th century c.1770 - most bricks in Cley houses have no skintlings. A moulded string course has been removed between ground and first floors and
crudely patched over. Windows to right of door blocked.


Februrary 1995. Visit.
Colour wash now dirty blue.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 February 1995.