When viewed from The Terrace, Wokingham, the exterior of the building displays changes in brickwork that show it was at one time two cottages. It provides no clue as to either the true age of the building or the wealth of timber that lies behind the façade.
Although there may be other contenders, this is generally considered to be the oldest surviving building in Wokingham town and has been dated by the style of its construction to the 14th Century.
Although Wokingham would have been well developed by this date, it is likely that the earliest buildings would have been unsubstantial, and most would have been replaced when opportunity and finance allowed.
There is currently little information available as to whether such buildings were the first on the site or exist as ancient replacements of earlier less substantial structures.
Because of its contribution to Wokingham’s heritage, this building is part of the Wokingham Society’s Blue Plaque Trail. A leaflet giving details of all of the buildings on the Trail can be obtained from the Wokingham Town Hall Information Centre and Wokingham Library. An electronic version is available from www.wokinghamsociety.org.uk The Trail is also available on a downloadable App called Wokingham Town History.
Wokingham Town Museum Unique Identifier: WTH0308