The buildings of Wycombe – The 18th Century restaurant

Today I am featuring a late 18th Century building that has been lucky enough to have been in use for most of its lifetime and its currently right at the heart of local life having been converted to a restaurant.

Standing at the Western end of the High Street right next to the narrow Crown Lane is a magnificent structure originally built as a private dwelling house.

In the 18th Century an awful lot of buildings in the High Street were houses as the town was much smaller indeed the High Street was on the eastern edge of the town centre.

Today the building is a restaurant used by the masses. While the lower floor has been altered and shop windows installed the upper floors have remained pretty much as they were.

Just look at the fine brickwork on the outside of this building. Made of dark brick the tops of the sash windows are highlighted with arches of contrasting red brick.

Right at the top of the building is a magnificent modillioned cornice stretching the whole frontage of the structure.

The entrance is truly impressive with columns either side and topped off with a magnificent pediment above.

All too often we pass by without even thinking about the past history of a structure and sadly I see so many people walking into this building without taking the time to look up and admire the architecture above.

But just look at what is standing on the pavement outside, it must be one of the most hideous round information boards in history together with one of those awful atlas balls and a dreadful bicycle rack.

How on earth could such a menagerie of ghastly street furniture including the eyesore of a notice board ever be sited outside such a wonderful building? It could only happen in Wycombe....

When Pevsner visited he mentioned this building in his guide book however that terrible information post and other assorted items of dreadfulness were not there then otherwise I dread to think what he would have said.

Prior to use as a restaurant the building was for many years one of the many Co-Op retail outlets in Wycombe. Specialising in non-food items such as electrical equipment and travel goods it sold a wide range of products and proved highly popular with the local population.

Thankfully the building was afforded Grade II listed status in 1954 so it should be with us for a good number of years to come.

What do you think?

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