Fuller Street

Fuller Street comprises a hamlet of approximately 17 houses, Public house, arranged in a hollow focussed on the junction of the Ranks Green Road and the Braintree Road. Here the Square and Compasses public house, which dates from circa 1926 and in general has retained its original form and character with some thoughtful additions, maintenance and decoration, is located. Approaching Fuller Street a narrow, and often twisty road, sunken in parts, and which passes through agricultural land, links Fuller Street with Great Leighs. The agricultural land creates a natural barrier to stop the two villages spreading to form one. Open Spaces Permitted ways are generally marked including the Essex Way.

The Square & Compasses who use the defunct red telephone box in Fuller Street to display paths and other useful local walking information. Buildings and Design Features The settlement has a number of large detached houses set in mature grounds with both native hedging and brick wall perimeter enclosures. Of special interest is The Stores, a Grade 2 house, built in circa 1590, converted to a shop and house in the 19th century, and back to a house in the 20th century. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles, it has one 19th century half-glazed door and one plain boarded door. The shop front retains a 19th-century three directional sign reading 'Lifebuoy Soap - Sunlight Soap - No wear no tear no care' made by Roots and Heinemann of Connersville, Indiana, under a patent of 1888 and a clasped purlin roof, with original partitions infilled with wattle and daub to apex. Also found is Fairstead Lodge, a Grade 2 listed house, built in the early 19th century of red brick in Flemish bond and roofed with handmade red clay tiles and The Herons, a Grade 2 house from the 17th century. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with slate and handmade red clay tiles this has been two cottages previously and a six bay wagon lodge from the early 19th century which is timber framed, weather boarded and roofed with slate. The houses, built by Braintree Rural District Council (pre 1974 council changes), leading into the village are of two storey semi detached constructions some with red brick elevations, some with rendered elevations under concrete tile roofs; the windows were originally of the "Crittall" metal type but have largely been replaced with UPVC. These dwellings have off-road parking spaces but the natural hedging at the perimeter boundaries has been maintained The operational scaffold commercial premises and yard storage areas are of unremarkable steel framed construction clad in a mixture of materials; the perimeter boundaries are more suited for security than visual harmony to their rural setting, especially close to listed buildings, although the hedging and brick construction have been maintained for the commercial car repair business. Areas of open countryside come into the centre of the hamlet, which contribute to its essential character, which is recognised by the Planning Inspectorate as a character asset in Ranks Green There is no village envelope. I believe the Council Houses on the top of the hill were built in about 1929 and the out buildings at the same time...the brick buildings further up were built in about 1938, and the old garage and house round about 1935. F.H.S.

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