43-44 High Street

Nos. 43-44 High Street was/were refaced during the early-mid 19th century. Behind the facade are the substantial remains of a mid-late 16th century merchant's house, with good quality roll-moulded beams and joists in the main downstairs room of the No. 44 component. The space above, at first floor level, has a cambered timber ceiling and two blocked mullioned windows on the south side. Above the fireplace, in a decorative surround, is an early 17th century (I think) painted Biblical text from the New Testament: James 1. 22 - "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only". The original timber-framed roof trusses are still in place. I got to know this property from the inside during the mid-1980s, when I was friendly with the person living in the first-floor flat.

After further study of the manorial property transfers relating to this complex messuage, it is clear that John Jex’s portion was the “one-up/one-down” dwelling with use of the yard, a well and a coal-house. Thomas Dyke held a similar building to the east of this, which is described as “containing one hearth and one chamber” and as being “the most easterly part of the messuage”. It, too, had right of access to both yard and well.

This house and its plot have a complex history. During the later part of the 16th century, the messuage was held by John Thedam of London, who was probably involved in the fish-trade - as was John Archer of that city, who was tenant of "The Swan" inn premises immediately next door to the north. The Manor Roll of 1618 names Priscilla Hawkins as occupant - she being the remarried widow of John Thedam - and she disposed of the property ten years later to Simon Fifield (shoemaker and merchant), the son of George Phifeld who had sold "The Swan" to John Archer in 1584.

Fifield died in December 1631 and, by the terms of his will, the property passed to Thomas and Elizabeth Fulwood, his son-in-law and daughter, and then to their own son named Fifield Fulwood. After fifty years had passed, the property underwent division into three parts, with the same number of co-heirs of Fifield Fullwood named as beneficiaries. There is no record of his burial in the Lowestoft parish registers, so he may well have moved away from the town. The three beneficiaries were his sisters, Jane Buxton and Judith Fellow, and William Buck Jnr. (the son of another married sister, Margery Buck), all referred to in a manorial record of January 1681.

In 1720, the house and outbuildings of the time had been subdivided into four units - what is now No. 43 being occupied by Elizabeth Brown (widow), who was the daughter of Thomas and Judith Fellow, and No. 44 held by Thomas Fellow (mariner-fisherman) himself. A third part, somewhere to the rear of the main house, was held by John Jex (merchant), with use of the yard and access to a well. It had come down to him by a series of transactions beginning with Jane Buxton. Finally, a small dwelling described as "one room, with a chamber above and a coal-house" was in the occupancy of Thomas Dyke - again, following various transactions beginning with Jane Buxton. CREDIT:David Butcher

Surviving internal timber framing

Mid-late 16th century merchant’s house. Roll-moulded ground floor beams (especially noticeable in No. 44). Latter’s main first floor room has cambered timber ceiling and much of the original roof-trussing is still in place. CREDIT:David Butcher