Building record 0422701000 - FORMERLY 47 HIGH STREET, AMERSHAM

NO. 47 HIGH STREET: 2 STOREY BUILDING, TIMBER FRAMED WITH BRICK FILLING. BUILT 15 CENT, ENLARGED MID 16 CENT AND IN 17 CENT-19 CENT, PLAN HALF-H SHAPE. ORIGINAL BUILDING HAD LARGE HALL AND SOLAR IN W WING (B2). INCLUDED IN KINGS ARMS IN 1930S (B4).
The RCHME gives an extensive description and notes that its is especially interesting because of its remaining medieval feaures. The plan is half H-shaped with E and W wings of unequal width, projecting towards the S. The original building had a large hall of one storey with the solar at in the W wing, which was lengthened in the 16th century when a central chimney stack was added. The lower, narrower E wing was built probably early in the 17th century, when part of the hall was destroyed and the upper floor inserted in the remaining part (B3).
Wall paintings discovered in 1931 during restoration and recorded by Francis Reader. Remains of floral design painted in purple on a black background found on the sloping ceiling under the roof of the hall. On the south face of the upper floor partition wall of the west wing traces of a decorative scheme of two 1-inch wide bands of black and red bordering the plaster panels and probably originally carried around the other walls of the room. On the north side of the same partition a portion of painted frieze was found with white arabesque-style decoration on a black background, including a central basket of foliage flanked on each side by swans and a a dolphin. The tie beam above the frieze had been painted white with black horizontal and cabled bands. Beneath the frieze traces of black and white strap work decoration survived on some of the wall timbers (B10).