NHER 25845 (Building record) - The Cottages, Town Street

Medieval building of Barnack Stone.
Probably originally U-shaped and a monastic lodging or warehouse - buildings recorded in this area belonging to Ramsey Abbey in 1200 and Ely in 1251. Remains of two ogee doorways. Cut down and altered in 19th century from which period the interior dates. See (S1) in secondary file.
Copy of listing grade II* (S2) in file.
Also listed separately as grade II is Church Bridge, described as substantial portion of right hand rear range of building, now used as workshop. Site transferred from Cambridgeshire during boundary changes in 1990.
E. Rose (NLA), September 1990.

See also in file a report (S3) made in October 2001 on a great heap of very fine and large architectural fragments at the rear of the property, collected from around the site, and of various medieval dates.
E. Rose (NLA), 22 October 2001.

July 2001. Trial Trench.
Single trench excavated at rear of properties uncovered evidence for Late Saxon to post-medieval activity.
See NHER 60664 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 March 2015.

English Heritage Listing:
The Cottages (East of Lloyds Bank), Town Street. Upwell.
Part of the front range of a medieval building, probably of U-plan, and possibly a lodging or guest house associated with one of the sixteen religious houses established in the Upwell area. Now two cottages. Coursed Barnack stone ashlar with only slight disturbance to front wall, some brick repairs to rear wall and partial rebuilding in brick to left hand gable end. Probably cut down in 19th century when pantiled roof and ridge stacks built and now of two storeys. On splayed plinth. Ogee headed arch to former central doorway, now blocked, flanked by attached chamfered shafts on octagonal bases with the upper edge splayed. The shafts have been cut down, the one to the north is stepped back at eaves height. Above the doorway is a splayed string-course. Left hand gable end has another original doorway with one side of the jamb chamfered. Inside all the details are of the 19th century.
See (S4).
Information from (S2).