NHER 41153 (Monument record) - Site of house in grounds of Kingsbridge, Church Road

House in garden of Kingsbridge (latter a 20th century bungalow).
Aligned southwest to northeast at angle to road, possibly the blob shown on (S1) at the point where the road entered the common marsh, before the church, is intended for this, and so the alignment of the house marks the common edge.

February 2005. Field Observation.
Very brief examination made when house derelict and much of interior obscured.
Outer walls rebuilt or faced in brick of around 1800, rear (northwest) is a pentise of this period, yet has two doors with numbers indicating this was used as entrance for two cottages. On northeast end is a garage, formerly a stable, contains a fireplace. Main building of two cells with a stack on each gable wall having large ground floor fireplaces but infilled with 18th/19th century fittings; winding stair beside each. The northwest wall, fossilised by pentise, is of studwork pegged to a wallplate yet of very crude character. Central dividing wall seems to be set between jowled posts yet has large V bracing and crude timbers. Each ground floor room has a ceiling beam, though that to the northeast seems offcentre, that to the southwest may have tongue stops. Also a beam in front of the northeast fireplace with tongue stops defining width of stack instead of width of house. The roof has been replaced in recent years, now overall and sloping to rear, supported on huge knee braces; materials stated by owner to come from council prefabs. What is visible suggests a timber framed building of very late type, perhaps 18th century, altered, extended and recoated around 1800 - but whether designed as two labourers’ cottages, or whether subdivided in 1800, is not yet clear.
E. Rose (NLA), 10 February 2005.

March 2006. Building Survey.
Survey in advance of demolition.
One and a half storey timber framed house. The original single house had been rebuilt at each end to provide fireplaces and stacks for a divided building and given a central partition. Later this pair of cottages had been extended to the north with an outshut containing four cells, two for each cottage. Later still a lean-to stable was added at the east end that was presently extended for use as a garage. The house has three bays, with upper crucks on the upper floor and a tie-beam over cross-beam 3, between bays 2 and 3. Upper crucks are a 17th century techniques and their presence may indicate when the timber framed house was built.
See report (S2) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2008.58).
See NHER 41644 for details of an archaeological evaluation undertaken prior to the redevelopment of this area.
M. Dennis (NLA), 16 June 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2019.