66 Church Street

66 Church Street was once in the area known as Hanover Square, at the bottom of Church Street south of St. Nicholas Church. Prior to that it was know as St. Helen’s Street.

The building we see today seems to have been built in the 16th century as a one-up-one-down with its timber frame built up against the 15th century timber frame of 65 Church Street, now the Hanover Inn. No. 66 then had a rear range and brick facade added in a later phase of development.

The main development phase occurred in the 18th century with the addition of the rear range and a roof raise. The main cooking hearth was also rebuilt and a small fireplace added to the attic.

There was another upgrade in the 19th century with new main doorcase and door and some high quality internal fittings.

The building was listed Grade II in 1972 and although the listing states that it was probably part of a larger structure with 67 there is no evidence of a means of access between the two properties so they may have been built at a similar time but as two separate dwellings.

The 1861 census shows that the property was occupied by two families and a lodger. At the time of the census the men were away at sea so Rachel Plowman and Eliza Calver are listed as the head of each family. The Plowmans had three children and the Calvers four so with the lodger, Mary Gaymer, there were ten people crammed into the house and twelve if both the men were on shore leave at the same time.

By 1871 the house was a little less crowded with two families and a total of six people. Frederick Broad, his wife Sarah, daughter Elizabeth Fidgett and son-in-law John Fidgett were living in one part and John and Jane Row in another. Frederick Broad was a warehouseman, John Fidgett a shipwright and John Row a Mariner.

When the 1881 census was conducted 66 Church Street was uninhabited.

In 1891 we find John Race, a Trinity House lamplighter, his wife Lettice, their seven children and two lodgers, Henry and Mary Hill, living at the house.

The 1901 census finds David Jennings, a dock labourer, his wife Charlotte, their three children and three lodgers living at 66 Church Street.

This census information gives us a strong picture of 66 Church Street as a typical Harwich house being let out to working people in the late Victorian era.

66 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 buildings by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.