Words from British Listed Buildings and Ludlow Civic Society.
The flamboyant early C17th front is on an earlier house formerly belonging to Thomal Hackliut – Secretary to the Council of the Marches and relative of the author of ‘Voyages and Discoveries, PRINCIPAL NAVIGATIONS, VOYAGES, TRAFFIQUES & DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH NATION' and Elizabethan best seller in 1520, Richard Hakluyt. More:- Hakluyt
Built of timber-frame and plaster and brick with a double-depth plain tile roof, with three gables to the front with brick end stacks to the rear. It's a three-bay plan with three-storeys and cellar and a three-window range. The bays have moulded and carved mullions and transoms, cast diamond glazing all set in quarter braced framing.
The second floor is jettied on moulded bressummers on enriched consoles. There is a larger bay to the left, all have enriched quarter bracing. The three gables have arch-motif and enriched barge boards and pendants.
In the off centre porch are enriched pillars and consoles supporting the first floor balcony which has pierced spot-balusters, the door is C17th with studded planks in an enriched case with overlight. This is flanked by C20th bays two to the left and one to the right, also to the right a chevron braced panel with casement, all under a moulded bressummer to the first floor. The right return continues the main features of the front.
The passageway towards the rear at the north end of the site has restored studding with passing brace, and leads to the yard, a C20th entrance and C19th and C20th range.
INTERIOR: the ground floor room to the right of the entrance has panelling, mantelpiece and wall paintings. The first floor rooms have panelling, fine plaster ceilings and oak overmantels. There is also much exposed timber-framing and many ceiling beams.
It was rebuilt in 1619 for Rees Jones, a Pembrokeshire attorney at the Court of the Marches, who had married the daughter of Edward Waties, owner of the Feathers site. It did not become an inn until 1670. The present entrance with gallery over, dates from the mid 19th century, when the Feathers was used for electioneering meetings and candidates spoke from the gallery.