Description

NEEDHAM MARKET BRIDGE STREET
TM 0855

3/49 The Bull Inn, (including
No.86 High Street)
9.12.55

- II*

Public House, built early C16 as a high-quality town house. 3-cell cross-
passage entrance plan, with two integral shops. 2 storeys. Timber-framed and
roughcast; the upper floor is long-wall jettied towards both Bridge Street and
High Street. Plaintiled roofs with axial chimneys of red brick, and C19
ornamental bargeboards. Various C18/early C19 windows, some with wrought-iron
casements. C19 boarded entrance doors (the doorway to No.86 High Street has 2
fielded panels). Exposed framing outside the building is confined to joists
and brackets supporting a moulded bressumer, and a richly-carved corner post.
This is weathered but has traceried panels at the base, an embattled frieze, a
winged human or angel figure, an embattled capital and a traceried spreading
head. Blocked original openings all with 4-centred arches (some damaged),
include:- both cross-passage doorways, a shop doorway adjacent to the front
door, a pair of wide shop windows, and a further doorway and window in a
formerly separate shop room. In the hall the upper half of the original main
window remains, with chamfered square mullions, each light having little
arched spandrels. High quality close-studding with arch- and tension-bracing.
The large hall fireplace and that in the chamber above have cambered lintels.
Wainscotted cross-passage screen perhaps of later C16. Roll-moulded 1st floor
joists in hall and parlour cells, the main beams also embattled. An original
door now in the service end is unusual in having linenfold enriched planking.
Over the parlour chamber is a crownpost roof, with plain square post at the
open truss, 2-way braced; there are traces of original red paint. A cell
positioned to right of the entrance from the High Street is apparently
earlier, with moulded 1st floor members and a coupled-rafter roof.

Listing NGR: TM0881355135

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17539382

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living