Building record CHW 026 - Upper Common

Upper Common is a rare and generally well preserved grade II-listed ‘Parish House’ built in the 18th century on former common land as a pair of semi-detached cottages for paupers. Many local parishes once owned poor houses of this kind but most were demolished or altered beyond recognition after the advent of Union Workhouses in the 19th century made them redundant. The property is accordingly of considerable historic interest. The original timber-framed, thatched and rendered building contained identical one-up-one-down dwellings that shared a central chimney with lean-to storage rooms against the back wall that probably extended to the gables. The present rear lean-to appears to be a mid-19th century replacement, and single-bay extensions of gault brick were added to both gables in 1857 (as indicated by a dated brick). The twin cottages survived into the last quarter of the 20th century but were then combined as part of an extensive restoration that saw the original external doors blocked and replaced by a new central entrance with a thatched porch. The building’s special interest lies chiefly in its external appearance and proportions, particularly when viewed from the adjoining road, and in those features that still reflect its original mirror-image layout (S1).