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Latitude: 51.8854 / 51°53'7"N
Longitude: -0.5206 / 0°31'14"W
OS Eastings: 501919
OS Northings: 221798
OS Grid: TL019217
Mapcode National: GBR G50.M7K
Mapcode Global: VHFRC.XWN0
Plus Code: 9C3XVFPH+5Q
Entry Name: 26 High Street South
Listing Date: 4 March 1976
Last Amended: 7 February 2023
Grade: II
Source: Historic England
Source ID: 1114597
English Heritage Legacy ID: 35756
ID on this website: 101114597
Location: Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire, LU6
County: Central Bedfordshire
Civil Parish: Dunstable
Built-Up Area: Dunstable
Traditional County: Bedfordshire
Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Bedfordshire
Church of England Parish: Dunstable
Church of England Diocese: St.Albans
Tagged with: Building
A C17 or earlier timber-framed building, refronted in the C19, and with a C20 shop front.
A C17 or earlier timber-framed building, refronted in the C19, and with a C20 shop front.
MATERIALS: the building is timber framed and rendered with a plain clay tile roof.
PLAN: it has a rectilinear plan-form, with the front roof ridge running perpendicular to the street and the rear roof ridge parallel to the street.
EXTERIOR: : a terraced building of two storeys and an attic. The gable end forms the principal elevation, and is rendered. The ground floor is formed of a late-C20 shop front. The upper floors have C20 sash windows to the first floor and attic. There are cast-iron hopper heads and pattress plates at attic level.
Dunstable town was historically focused upon the intersection of two ancient routes, the Neolithic Icknield Way, running from east to west, and the Roman Watling Street, running from north to south. The crossroad remains a dominant feature in topography of the town. Dunstable has Roman origins, known as Durocobrivis, centred on the crossroads, which appears to have been abandoned at the end of the Roman period. The town was later re-established in the early C12 by Henry I, centred on the royal lodge of Kingsbury and the Augustinian Priory founded in 1131, dissolved in 1540. A market was established in the wide streets and marketplace, where permanent buildings began to encroach to form Middle Row, possibly from the early C13 onwards. The town continued to prosper as a market town in the post-Medieval period, and also as a significant staging post for coaches travelling along Watling Street. The C19 saw the arrival of the railway, new municipal buildings, and the development of the backland with new terraced housing and small industrial premises, notably hat-making. The C20 saw the growth of the town as an engineering centre. Residential expansion continued apace, with associated provision for schools, churches, and other public buildings.
26 High Street South was built in the C17 or earlier. In the C19 the front was rendered, and in the late C20 a shop front was added. The building was listed in 1976 with the following description: “C17 or earlier, C19 front of stuccs with gable. 2 storeys and attic. Modern shop front. Closed first floor window in architrave surround, louvred attic windows. Nos 24 to 30 (even) form a group.” The louvre window mentioned has been replaced with a six-light casement window.
26 High Street South, a C17 or earlier timber-framed building, refronted in the C19, and with a C20 shop front is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural and historic interest:
* for its C17 origins;
* for its substantial surviving timber frame.
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
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