25A High Street – Ashford's Heritage

This is part of a timber-framed hall-house dating from the 15th century and known as ‘Whitehall’ or ‘Chequers’.

External Features:

High Street Front: Plaster and timber, the latter contains two curved braces. Some of these timbers appear to be replacements. The present entrance door is probably a later one. The doorway on the right is undoubtedly the original one which entered the screens-passage and passed right through the building.

The roof is tiled and has been reconstructed, as the rafters are not oak but softwood.

Historical Development:

The building was originally an inn known as ‘The Chequer’, and obviously commodious, but all that remains is the hall (once open to the rafters) and the passage. The area to the right of the passage would have contained the service area, i.e., buttery, kitchen, brewhouse, etc. The open hall has been ceiled over to make an upper ﬂoor and the large brick chimney at the north—east corner of the building was built at that time. The hall was probably longer and may have had other rooms attached. The heavy tie beam of the hall exists.

Fig. 1 – Trade tokens were issued by Thomas Redfeild at ‘The Chequer‘ in the 17th century

The name of the inn was a common one for those adjoining markets. At the time of the building of this one, it would have faced the markets, as none of the buildings in front of it had been erected, making the High Street even wider than it is today.

A deed of 1757 refers to the property as a ‘common inn bearing the sign of the Chequer’ and mentions that it was next to the Town Gutter which ﬂowed through the town.

Fig. 2 – The shaded portion is No. 25A which is approached by the passage between No. 25 and No. 27 and the back can be seen from St. Johns Lane. The broken lines show what might have been the extent of the building. The black spot is the later brick chimney

Briscall W., 1987, Discovering Ashford’s Old Buildings, Ashford, LRB Historical Publications

List Entry on Historic England

List entry Number: 1071086 ➚

Grade: II

Date first listed: 04-Jun-1976

5344 HIGH STREET (South Side) No 25A (Whitehall) TR 0142 NW 1/5 II GV 2. This stands behind Nos 25 and 27, and access to it is by means of the passage between them. It was originally an inn. C16 timber-framed building restored with some curved braces. 2 storeys. Hipped tiled roof with outside chimney breast at the east end of the north front. 3 casement windows. Exposed beams and panelling to interior.

Nos 19, 19A, 21 to 25 (odd), 25A, 27, 31 and 31A form a group.

Listing NGR: TR0111742760