No 4
No.4
No 4 -
The 1750 map shows only the right (west) part of the building, if this was accurate, it seems that the left (east) section was added later.
1750 map
I have been unable to find any old photos showing the original western section of this building.
Image around 1900 or slightly before, showing blocked window
Early photos of the eastern section show a blocked up window above the entrance doorway. Perhaps this was blocked due to the window tax which was in force between 1696 - 1851 (houses with above a certain number of windows were taxed and many were blocked up to avoid this tax). As this part of the building would seem to have been built after the start of the window tax, I wonder why they bothered adding it as a dummy window in the first place - perhaps as a nod to symmetry? Or could there be another reason for losing that window?
Other photos show that after the tax was ended, rather than opening up the blocked window, it was completely removed and stonework inserted during the early 1900s. The current building shows no evidence of that earlier opening.
Left image 1910ish shows blocked window....right image 1920ish shows it gone
1910s photos show the walls were rendered, as was usual with random stone walls. But later photos show the render removed, probably at the time the window was stone built in.
Today the stonework has been painted, retaining the texture but creating a lighter appearance.
The arched door recess can been seen from the earliest photos, but has had a cement surround added later.
Early photos show sash windows, but (sadly, aesthetically) these have been replaced with modern casements with fanlights.
It is not easy to tell from the old photos, but the roof appears to possibly be of slates, whereas the current pantile roof would be a later change.
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