| Description | 39 and 41, Towngate. Upperthong. Early 18th century house containing resused 17th century timbers.
'Two handed houses, part of group. Mid C18 with mid C19 alterations. Hammer dressed stone. Quoins. Stone slate roof with gable copings on moulded kneelers. Two ashlar stacks, one with moulded cap, the other very altered. Two storeys. Two C19 doorways to centre with 2 light double chamfered window to left and right with mullions removed. Each dwelling has C19 5 light window to first floor, the one to left with 2 blocked lights. Rear elevation: central stone porch, disused, one 5 light and one 4 light double chamfered windows, with several mullions removed. To first floor are two 4 light double chamfered windows with several mullions removed'.
(English Heritage listed building description. Date listed 04/08/1983. http://list.english heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1313631. Web site accessed 09/10/2013).
Peter Thornborrow (WYAS) in a 29/07/2002 email to Joanne Needham (Kirklees Council) provides further information regarding 39 Towngate:
This is a c.1700 1720 two cell house with a central direct entry. There does not appear to be an original rear door. The building is wide and this permitted smaller rear rooms. The fireplace has a lintel cut with a basket arch and oak spine beams that may be reused. The joists are of c. 1700 and are small and square cut without chamfers. The cellar is probably contemporary, its cellar doorway has composite jambs and does not appear to be an insertion. The roof truss is of an unusual form having double struts rising out of the side of a king post. The tie beam and purlins appear to be re used wall plates from an other probable 17th century building.
The lathes set between the slates are certainly unusual, an attempt to keep out the draught by plastering between the rafter, much as people do today by setting plaster boards between the rafters fixed on batons. |