Tudor House, 5 Castle Street, Thetford

The oldest inhabited building in Thetford, this Grade II listed building has seen some changes over the years. Originally part of a single late-medieval timber-framed house that was eventually split into No’s 1, 3 and 5 Castle Street. The oldest part of the building being being No 3 and No 5 which date back to 15th century with No 1 being added as a service wing the 16th century. Today I believe No 3 and No 5 are again rejoined as one building. Thetford’s ‘Haunted Heritage’ leaflet suggests that the building is haunted by a young girl (though she has not been seen) and that the skeleton of a baby was found in one of the walls. I have found no other reference yet to this skeleton, but during renovation in the 1983 a collection of Elizabethan coins are meant to have been found inside a wall and a mummified cat discovered under the doorstep. Mummified cats were once buried to ward of witches and evil spirits.