Survey by RCHME of Stockwell Arms Inn. 'Was built probably late in the 15th or early in the 16th century but the S part outh of the house has been either rebuilt or completely altered. There is a cross wing at the N end with a projecting upper storey on the N and W sides, with a moulded and embattled bressumer; at the angle is a heavy diagonal bracket springing from a moulded capital carved with a defaced angel; the subsidiary brackets are curved and spring from small shafts with moulded capitals; the shafts are mostly cut away or buried. Inside the building are some original moulded ceiling beams. <1>

DOE survey of The Stockwell Arms Inn. Grade II. Late C15 much restored. Two storeys, timber-framed and plastered, the roofs tiled. Cross wing at north end with the upper storey projecting on the west and north sides, moulded and embattled bressumer, heavy diagonal angle bracket with moulded capital carved with an angel (defaced), curved brackets supporting the overhang with shafts and capitals- though most of these now buried in the modern pebble dash plaster which covers the whole building between exposed studwork, much of it renewed. Two gables at south end front. Interior has moulded ceiling beams.<2>

The Essex County Standard reports, 'Renovating a cellar with Roman Walls is landlord of the Stockwell Arms in Colchester Mr Brian Jerome...the floor has been raised to allow standing room in the cellar, and the Roman Walls below have been preserved against the damp...the Trumans Brewery pub in West Stockwell Street...is believed to be the oldest in Colchester...according to records it was built in 1385'.<3>

David Stenning (2014) describes the building as a complete 15th century house with two jettied cross-wings and adjoined by the jettied cross-wing of a second house to the south (included in the same List description). The house (and also the adjacent house to the south) was originally built as a modest in-line hall house, but the ends were subsequently rebuilt as cross-wings.<4>

The building was assessed by Martin Bridge (Oxford Dendrochronology Laboaratory) for dendrochronological investigation in October 2016, but it was judged there were not enough rings to get a result.