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====== 26 Church Street ======

No. 26 is 150 metres down Church Street from the Quay, once an important position in the town, close to the market square and quite central within the old walled medieval town.

The building was listed Grade II in 1972 and has two distinct phases of development – the first in 1485 and the second in 1576 – both representing boom times for Harwich and the gradual development of the medieval town.

The initial phase was once part of a long wall jetty house fronting Church Street but whatever adjoined next door, now 25 Church Street, has been demolished. It is possible that 26 was originally the cross wing of a much larger residence but with the surrounding area all rebuilt it is difficult to say for certain. What we do know is that the initial phase once had a clear view north, towards the Quay, because the timber frame has a window opening on the first floor facing in that direction.

After ninety years the original part of the house was extended to the rear to form a new wing running perpendicular to Church Street. It isn’t clear whether this new extension worked as part of a grand property or represented a building configuration change but the fact that the new wing seems to be north-facing may provide a clue that it is the latter.

Both phases of the property have an oak timber frame but the more modern rear range has timbers that, rarely for Essex, are slow grown. The older front range is made of more common fast-grown oak but both phases are thought to be constructed from locally-sourced wood.

===== Occupants =====

We have no names associated with the origins of either phase of the building but during the 19th century 26 Church Street became the residence of the Collector of Customs for Harwich and later working master mariners and a Trinity House dormitory.

The first Collector of Customs we can associate with the house was Richard Stephens who started in the job on 1st January 1844, having previously been at Portsmouth. He lived there with his wife and one servant

Stephens was still in post when the 1851 census was taken but by 1861 John William Wood had replaced him and was living with his wife, son and two servants at 26 Church Street.

John William Wood was still in post and resident with his family in 1851 - wife Eliza, son Edwin Henry and daughter Emily Francis. Emily was born in the Scilly Isles and Edwin was born at Camberwell and, aged 24, had followed in his father’s footsteps, being recorded as “Clerk at H. M. Customs”.

By 1874 Captain Daniel Howard is listed at 26 Church Street but he has a lodger, Thomas Parker, who later becomes a tenant at the “moderate rent” of £35 per annum.

When the property is auctioned in 1875 Mr. James Fulcher, grocer, of Church Street, buys it for £730 and by 1882 Joseph and Sarah Holmes are renting the property – with Joseph away at sea for long periods on his 122 ton coaster “Ornate” and Sarah back at home with their two children Joseph Junior and Laura.

===== Harwich Architectural Survey =====

26 Church Street was surveyed and interpreted as part of the Harwich Architectural Survey Project which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

An interpretation of the timber framing by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for {{ :26_church_street_building_survey.pdf |download here}}.

A detailed dendrochronological dating report by Dr. Martin Bridge is available for {{ :26_church_street_dendro_survey.pdf |download here}}.
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