This imposing house now sits 50 metres from the top of Church Street but it would have originally been only 30 metres or so from the old medieval quay.

The house shows three distinct phases of construction – the original timber-frame build, some later layout modifications and then complete “Georgianification”. At all these points in the history of this fascinating house the work undertaken was of the highest quality – reflected in the house being listed Grade II* in 1951.

The origins of the house are interesting because later development has removed or covered a variety of dating evidence and there is a mix of close studding and primary bracing in what can be seen of the timber framing. The listing suggests a build date for the original house of mid to late 16th century and the change from close studding to primary bracing could shift that slightly later to the late 16th to early 17th century. This is definitely an area for future research.

The original house would have been a high status build and very modern in style for its day. Its early layout suggests that it was a transitional style house – more urban in influence than other houses of the period in Harwich. This is highlighted by the kitchen at the rear with chamber above and in 17th century Harwich this would have afforded views out to the west of the town and down the river Stour.

The original house consisted of a hall and parlour in the front, central (chimney) stack bay and rear kitchen on the ground floor. The first floor was jettied to the street but later modifications have erased any evidence of this feature and the original house only had two storeys with chambers above the hall, parlour and kitchen. The original house also had an impressive brick cellar which was accessed via external steps to the side of the kitchen and the cellar had a large opening into the stack for heating or cooking purposes.

At some point in the 17th century some additions were made to the house. The main upgrade was a spacious stair tower providing more comfortable access to the first floor and the stack was extended at the same time – probably stealing the space occupied by the original stairs and providing fireplaces in the hall and chamber above.

In the 18th century the house had a major makeover, bringing into line with the latest Georgian tastes. It might be a cliché that the Georgians liked things regular, straight and uniform but they knew a good timber frame when they saw one so rather than demolishing houses they added brick frontages with internal partitioning and panelling to achieve their aims.

At 34 and 35 Church Street the 18th century upgrade added an impressive brick facade which replaced the old frontage, underbuilding the jetty. Behind the parapet the roof was modified to provide attic rooms at the front. Inside a partition in the hall provided a passageway down the left hand side of the house and wood panelling straightened everything up.

At some point in the late 17th or early 18th century the house was divided into two, with a front door created on the right hand side of the house leading into the former parlour. By 1990 the house was in a derelict state and an extensive renovation reversed the subdivision and the house became one again.

We have been unable to come up with suggested names for the Elizabethan builder of the house at 34 and 35 Church Street or indeed the Georgian doer-upper – but it is felt that both would have been prominent people within the town at their respective times.

As Church Street was unnumbered until the 1850s the first confirmed residents are from the 1861 census and then we see that the house has already been divided into two dwellings and two mariner’s families are living there – the Dawes family in 34 and the Smiths in 35. Elizabeth Dawes was born in Walton, Suffolk and has two young daughters whilst Lydia Smith and her family, daughters Lydia, Frances and Sarah and daughter in law Harriet, were all born in Aldeburgh. The men are probably away at sea when the census was taken.

In 1871 no. 34 is occupied by Thomas Meachen, a stone dredger from nearby Dovercourt, his wife Hannah and their daughter and granddaughter. Next door at no. 35 Jane Manning is on her own whilst her husband is away at sea.

In 1881 William and Charlotte Rudland and their two young children are living at 34. William and Charlotte are from nearby Ramsey and William is a general labourer. No. 25 is a little more crowded with Robert and Matilda Cooper and their seven children plus an elderly coupe Samuel and Elizabeth Southgate. Robert Cooper is a Mariner and Samuel is still working as a gardener.

In 1891 William and Elizabeth parsons were living at 34 with their four children. William works for the Great Eastern Railway as a foreman. At no. 35 we find Mary Carmen, a 66 year old widow born in Dedham, her son Frederick, a plate packer for the Great Eastern Railway and daughter Eliza, a dressmaker.

By 1901 we find that 34 has been subdivided in some way to support 2 families living there. Occupying three rooms are John and Eliza Keeble and their sons John and William. John is aged 37 and a plate packer on the Great Eastern Railway. In two rooms at no. 34 are the Tinsons. Father Arthur is 35 and a quay labourer from Wolverhampton whilst his wife Elizabeth comes from Bere Regis in Dorset and their three children were born in Australia, Dorset and Harwich. By contrast no. 35 only has one family living there but Benjamin and Eliza Carpenter, from London and Berkshire respectively have eight children aged between 17 and 1, with the eldest two born in nearby Great Oakley.

In 1911 no. 34 has three families squeezed in. In three rooms we have William and Clara Fuller and their three daughters. William is an engineer’s fitter on the Great Eastern Railway and is originally from Great Yarmouth. Occupying four rooms is Alice Barton and her three young children and in a single room we find Robert and Annie Webster and their one year old daughter Agnes. Robert is originally from Glasgow and a private in the Royal Marines. Next door, no. 35 is host to just one family but there are three generations and eight people. Alfred Green is the head of household and a 70 year old pensioner, formerly a mariner with Trinity House. He lives with his wife, Emily, and three grown-up children. Eldest daughter Alice is 31 and has three young children of her own.

The building at 34 and 35 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.