Building record MDS 186 - The Fleece Inn

Grade II listed building consisting of 2 dwellings, one a public house. Late medieval core with mid 16th century in-line addition and 17th century alteration. Timber framed, plastered in panels, roof of concrete pantiles. A single long range. 2 storeys and attic. Various casement windows, mostly 19th century, a range of 6 to upper floor. The Fleece has a 20th century semi-glazed door and bracketed hood. Plank door to No.65. Central internal stack with plain axial shaft; a further axial-shafted stack to left and a small stack against the right gable end. Late 19th century full-height addition on left gable end, the front corner chamfered: red brick, gault brick dressings; inset sash windows. Interior. Earlier work to right of stack comprises hall range, partly in No.69 where the timbers are concealed. The portion in The Fleece has a low ceiling of heavy plain joists and an intact open fireplace with 19th century oven and copper. This section was raised c.1.2m in 17th century, the old wallplate exposed only at the rear. Clasped purlin roof. To left of stack, a 2-bay hall and one-bay service cell. Hall has moulded main beam, joists and mid rail, the joists in the upper bay damaged by fire mid 20the century. Open fireplace in hall has replacement lintol. Closely-spaced heavy plain joists in service end, with evidence for axial partition; cross partition with hall removed. Most of timbers on upper floor concealed. Roof is a later reconstruction, perhaps of 18th century (S1).

The Fleece was for many years a public house, the earliest record of a named publican being 1841, although it might have been so earlier. The name of the property is not an uncommon one for a public house and stems from the importance of the wool trade in Suffolk. The interior of the building contains a variety of tools connected with that occupation.
The property occupies a prominent site at the junction of Front Street and Old Station Road. It has clearly had a chequered history, starting as a small early 16th century single storey box framed hall house. Alongside this, in the mid-16th century a new larger two storey hall house was constructed and in turn the original dwelling was heightened to accommodate a first floor. Both properties were originally thatched. On the front elevation the original doors have been blocked and a new door with bracketed hood inserted, the windows are mainly mid-18th timber century fixed lights with a single opening vent, or side hung casements.
There is clearly a relationship between the two properties (no. 61 and 65) and in one of the upper rooms adjoining no 65 the original wall plate is visible half way up the rear wall. All the original beams and joists present on the ground floor are of high significance as is the large brick open fireplace with 19th century iron range and copper on one side. Parts of the original timber framed rear wall have either been dismantled or altered with the insertion of timbers from another building. The upper floors have been subdivided with 19th and 20th century partition walls and a simple straight staircase has been inserted. However there are the remains of two early spiral staircases at the rear of the large chimney breast, one of which is blocked in. According to a report in the Ipswich Journal of 1850 (see Appendix 2), the premises not only had a large retail beer trade which had been in operation for many years, but at the rear of the premises were extensive carpenters and blacksmith's shops. The latter also used by a wheelwright. The outbuildings at the rear were at some point either pulled down or incorporated into the modernised accommodation for beer cellar, kitchens, toilets and stores (S2).