RCHME survey. House and shop with late 14th century cellar. The house is perhaps of the 17th century but has been heavily altered. The cellar has rubble walls and a cross-wall running east and west; the ceiling has heavy beams resting on posts with massive curved brackets. In the cross-wall is an original doorway which has been reset c.1500. The cross-wall has also got two niches with pointed heads and a bracket of c.1500. The front cellar has two recesses and a lamp niche.<1>

A photographic record was made of the 14th century cellars and 16th & 17th century houses at 38 & 39 High Street as they were demolished to make way for Marks & Spencer's. The Museum also recovered a late 14th century arch from the cellar of No 38 and an embattled bracket.<2>

Photograph showing pargetting on the side of building behind No 38 High Street (now demolished and occupied by Marks & Spencer's).<3>

A 15th century oak window, with portions of beams removed from No 38 High Street, accessioned by Museum in 1923. COLEM 1923.4483.<4>

Fragments of pargetting re-discovered in the Castle Museum during renovation work in 1995. Thought to be COLEM 1930.757 referred to in the Museum Report 1930 <5>, which records "38-39 High Street, in projecting back wing pargetting c1650AD, floral scrolls and initials R C D". This discovery is mentioned in The Essex County Standard of 29 November 1930 in an article on the demolition of 38-39 High Street. It states the pargetting was on the east face of the crosswing and that an endeavour was made to remove the pargetting intact but this proved impracticable. However, it was hoped that portions would be preserved in The Colchester and Essex Museum.<6>