Earlier stylistic date now superceeded by later tree-ring date of mid C15.

Two box-framed C16 and C17 houses now thrown into one, the earlier (No. 39, W) with moulded timbering and some internal wall-painting, the later (No. 37, E) with a crown post roof with no purlins. (1)

2 houses. Late C16 and early C17, with early and mid C19 and late C20 alterations. (2)

No. 37 formerly known as Queen Henrietta Maria's House. C16 jettied, close studding, crown post roof. No. 39 Late C16 Box-framed, jettied. (3)

Two timber-framed houses, now with jetties, both of which have a complex history which needs further investigation to fully understand. No. 37 has box-frame construction with deep overhanging eaves while No. 39 has close studding at first-floor level. Both buildings have pantile roofs. Tree-ring dating gave a mid-15th century for the main phase of construction of both buildings although No. 37 contains two arcade plates thought to have been felled in the later 12th century, raising the possibility of an earlier aisled hall hidden within the later fabric. No. 37, which was remodelled in the 17th century, is also said to have been the home of Lady Leake during the Civil War, with whom Queen Henrietta Maria apparently stayed during the second siege of Newark. The buildings were listed grade II in 1950. (4)

Before tree-ring analysis of timbers had been carried out, these buildings were generally believed to date to the sixteenth century. As suspected from inspection of the site, it became obvious that there were a number of phases represented by the timberwork of the buildings. The analysis has confirmed this. (5)

The earliest phase at these buildings is thought to be an aisled hall to 37 Kirkgate, as evidence by two apparent aisle plates, either side of the chimney, the right hand one being dated to AD 1196-AD 1216. A substantial rebuild of the property is then thought to have occurred in the fifteenth century, with the crown-post roof of 39 Kirkgate thought to date to this period. Three of the samples taken form timbers of this roof have been securely dated, two estimated to have been felled AD 1436-40 and the third AD 1441-60. Alterations to the two structures in the next centuries is evidenced by the dating of timbers from the sixteenth and seventeenth/eighteenth centuries. (5)

Listed buildings slides, 2 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

<1> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed., p 195 (Monograph). SNT4.

<2> DOE, Listed Building Description (Published document). SNT228.

<3> John Samuels Archaeological Consultants, 1995, A Survey of Timber Framed Buildings of Newark, Stage 1 (Unpublished document). SNT2173.

<4> Historic England, 2024, Newark on Trent: Historic Area Assessment by Historic England (Unpublished document). SNT6029.

<5> A.J. Arnold, R.E Howard, R.R Laxton, C.D Litton, 2002, The Urban Development of Newark-on-Trent: A Dendrochronological Approach (Monograph). SNT1624.