13 & 15 Vale Street were formerly one building of sub-medieval, timber-framed construction. THe structure would have consisted of a 2-storey, close-studded, end-jetty range of 4-bays, with a 2-bay, arched-braced cruck hall set back at right angles to the Vale Street frontage (see reconstructed plan drawing). Evidence of the former structures can be seen in the brick-infill cross-passage wall, where parts of the storeyed range framing at ground and first-floor are visible and also in a truss partition to the rear. The hall evidence is confined mostly to the roof, where the arch-braced cruck and the cranked collar lower end-truss are in-situ, both smoke blackened.

A mid-19th century, 2 ?-storey, rendered, brick-built unit has been added to the front of No.13 (a beauty salon), while No. 15 (a travel agent) has been rebuilt in brick, with a c.1900, 3 storey, shop front facade to Vale Street. It retains very little visible internal detail. The ground-floor fireplace of No 13 retains an attractive overmantel plaster shield within a square studded border inscribed "1639 R T A" and early 17th century ceiling-beams with curved stops to chamfers.
Visited Geoff Ward, 20/05/2004