1981-1982

32 High Street32 & 34 High St 1980

These buildings are at that part of the High Street known as The Cross, which is the historic centre of Stroud.

They were compulsorily acquired by the County in the 1960s, with other properties along the proposed route of a ring road, but were listed in the early 1970s and singled out by the Inspector at the subsequent ring road Public Inquiry as containing the oldest structural features of the town. In particular, number 33 – the largest of the three – was clearly medieval in origin, although its appearance had been altered by the addition of a Georgian façade and a late Victorian roof.

32 High StreetRear of 32 & 34 High St

The buildings stayed empty and in 1980 were again threatened by a now modified road scheme, but a group of local enthusiasts continued to lobby for their restoration and prepared a feasibility study. Eventually the County Council agreed to give the freehold of numbers 32-34 to the newly formed Stroud Preservation Trust, while the conservationists agreed not to oppose the demolition of numbers 35-37, which were unlisted, to make way for the new link road – named Cornhill – between The Cross and London Road.

32 High StreetNew side elevation of 34

Support from the Historic Buildings Council (now English Heritage) seemed problematical at that stage because the buildings were not in a conservation area and one was unlikely to be designated in time for them to qualify. However, the Architectural Heritage Fund agreed to lend £55,000. The Manpower Services Commission funded a team to undertake the work, with the addition of specialist contractors for certain skills.

The process of rehabilitation revealed further unexpected details -–one section of wall alone houses windows which trace architectural development over nearly 400 years. The Trust worked indefatigably to raise additional finance to give the buildings new life as three shops and two office units and had the satisfaction of seeing local doubts change to enthusiasm as the project took shape.