32 The Close, The Cooperage

This building was listed Grade II* in 1954 with the following description:
'House, later cooperage, now public house and restaurant. C15 and later. Sand- stone ground floor and right return of first floor supporting timber-framed upper floors with rendered infill; brick nogging on right return. Pantiled roof. Gabled front of 3 storeys, one bay. Central plain wooden door under wood lintel flanked by plain 2-light windows. Jettied first and second floors have plain windows in upper part of each floor; diagonal corner bracing to these floors. Top gable has curved principals and studs with plain window inserted in central blocked hoist opening. Interior shows curved principals, some truncated at collars at apex.' {1}.
Building survey in the 1990s suggested that the building in its present form dates from the mid C16, compatible with the character of carpentry and method of construction. The use of stone walls for ground and first floor is a feature of Newcastle vernacular tradition. The later phases of the building date to the final period of timber-framed construction in the town. The final change from timber-framing to all brick construction probably took place in the late C17 {3}. The present Cooperage (no 32) occupies four building plots on the ground floor frontage. The historic 16th century former house occupies the eastern plot. Dated C15th. LISTED GRADE 2*.