File:Thai Gallery, 26 - 32 Friar Street, Worcester (3920782300).jpg

A Thai restaurant in 26 - 32 Friar Street in Worcester.

<a href="http://www.thaigallery.co.uk/worcester/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Thai Gallery</a> at <a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-488797-26-32-worcester" rel="noreferrer nofollow">26-32 Friar Street, Worcester</a> is Grade II* listed.

WORCESTER

SO8554NW FRIAR STREET 620-1/17/290 (West side) 22/05/54 Nos.26-32 (Even)

GV II*

House and shop, now restaurant. Numbered right to left, described left to right. In 2 builds. Mainly C16, origins to southern (left) part of late C15/early C16, with further range at north (right) of mid C16 and later additions and alterations including interior decorations c1580-1600. Probably for the Hughes family. Timber frame with plaster infill over wattle and daub, with plain tile roof, off-centre left ridge and rear brick stacks with oversailing courses and pots. PLAN: to south a cross wing, 2 bays deep and gable end to street, with further 2-bay section parallel to street containing cross-passage to its north (right) end and further cross wing at north; additional range parallel to central range. 2 storeys with attic to left (south) gable, 4 bays. TIMBER FRAMING: large square panels with 5 large tension braces to first floor. First floor is jettied with bressumer beams, second floor at north has jetty to gable. Frieze over ground floor window of south cross wing has pairs of scrolls. EXTERIOR: first floor has three replacement multi-pane leaded-light casement windows, similar window to north (right) gable. Sprocket eaves at centre. Ground floor has off-centre right, left and far right entrances (that to far right or north is on site of cross passage), plank doors. Exposed panels of timber framing to rear. INTERIOR: extensive timber framing survives to interior, some renewed re-using old timbers. The surviving roof trusses of the cross wing are clasped purlins with three queen posts, exposed rafters. Staircase to rear of stack. Close studding to first-floor partition walls. Jowled posts. To ground floor at south end the parlour ceiling painted with scrolled stems with leaves and strawberries on the spaces between the joists, the joists being coloured red. HISTORICAL NOTE: the building history of this dwelling is complex, the south cross wing forms part of a former separate 2-bay structure (the left part of which has been demolished). Of the original cross wing only 2 trusses survive, this southerly wing probably contained the shop, a room behind and two over. The shop had a large window with a central mullion, near the sill there are holes in the studs to take dowels which acted as hinges for falling shutters which opened outwards to form a table. The first-floor window of the cross wing originally projected, supported by two brackets. The central section and north crosswing form another structure. The interior painted decoration is a notable survival from an urban property of the period. The central section contained a cross passage at its north end giving access to the rear of the building and a hall with chambers over. The earliest known owner was Francis Hughes (d1614), brewer and surgeon; probably during his occupancy the shop was turned into a parlour with wainscot and a painted ceiling (mid C16). The Hughes family appear to have lived here before Francis, Lay Subsidy Rolls note a 'John Ewes, taylor' in the area c1526-44, when Thomas Highe takes his place. The timber structure that now stands is only part of the original building, which extended both to the south and north (over the site of Nos 22 and 24 (qqv)), no evidence of this remains. Friar Street originated as a rear access lane for buildings in the High Street until the foundation of the Franciscan Friary in 1235. The first Friary buildings occupied the stretch between Nos 11-25. The south end of the street was developed first, with plots dating from the mid C14, plots at the north end date from the early C15. Many of the existing houses date from the Reformation, the Friary having been suppressed in 1539 and its property sold by the Crown to the Corporation of Worcester which demolished much for building materials. Building continued from c1540 onwards, modifications were made during the C17 whilst the C18 saw the replacement of several older buildings. The street was inhabited mainly by tradesmen: weavers, clothiers, brewers and innkeepers. (Hughes P and Molyneux N: Friar Street: 1984-: 30-31; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Worcestershire: Harmondsworth: 1968-1985: 328; Hughes P: Buildings and the Building Trade in Worcester 1540-1650: PhD thesis: 1990-: 174; Molyneux N, Hughes P, Price S: Vernacular Architecture Group