135 King Street is a Grade II listed merchant’s house, which the Trust purchased in 2013. The majority of the fabric is 17th century, with flint and brick on the side elevation in the Row and an interior beam dating to the 16th century. The shopfront is likely to have been rebuilt in 1830. The building was well known in the town as the long-standing Howkins Jewellers, but its state of disrepair had entered it onto the Buildings at Risk Register.

To learn more about the building and its past inhabitants, please read Paul Davies’ article for the Great Yarmouth Local History and Archaeological Society.

Works were contracted to Wellington Construction Ltd., who worked under the supervision of the Trust to repair the building and convert the space into a new set of offices, a community centre and residential space.

During works, the Trust discovered extensive 18th century panelling, still painted in its original colours. Behind this panelling was found to be an even older painting, dated to 1650, which was carefully conserved by lecturers and students from the Estonian Academy of Arts and the University of Lincoln. To view the conservation report written by Merike Kallas, please click here.

Thanks to the works undertaken, the building was able to be removed from the Buildings at Risk Register.

The project was funded by: Heritage Lottery Fund; Townscape Heritage Initiative; Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust and Great Yarmouth Borough Council.