The following text is from the original listed building designation:
ROCHESTER HIGH STREET TQ 7468 NW 7/56 No 44 24.10.50 GV II House with shop (not used as a dwelling at time of re-survey, 1988). Substantially late C16, re-modelled in the late C17 with C19 and C20 alterations. Timber framed with weatherboarding and brick cladding, and rubble plinth to side elevation. Kent tile gable end roof. Lateral brick stack. 2 unit end jetty plan, sub-divided into 3 units when present stairs inserted in late C17. 2 storeys and attic. 2 window range standing end-on to High Street. Front, weatherboarded throughout, deep 1st floor jetty. All windows with moulded wooden cornices and surrounds; hornless sashes (6 panes to single attic window, 12 panes elsewhere). Late C19 shop window, curved to corner with Two Posts Alley. Slender vertical glazing posts, contemporary door with modern glazing. Tiled floor to entrance. Left-hand return weatherboarded. Right hand return with brick and plaster infill; small 2-light casement window to 2nd floor, 12-pane hornless sash to 1st; windows blocked to ground floor. Side wall continues as rubble plinth and contains a C16 doorway, possibly not in situ, square-headed with cyma-recta moulded surround and chalice stops. (Note: the roof above this side is sprocketted, and the jettying towards Two Posts Alley represents a later alteration and is not part of the original plan; part of the rear extension may have been removed). Rear with 2-light attic casement window and 12- pane hornless sash to 1st and ground floor; weatherboarded throughout. Interior: little visible at ground floor level. Framing intact to 1st and 2nd floors. Principal intersecting ceiling beams (chamfered and stopped) divide the building into 2 rooms to each floor; later partitions introduced when lateral stair inserted; framed newel stair with turned balusters and ball finials (many missing) on square-section newels; side purlin roof with wind braces. Some later furnishings survive: late C18 fireplace with panelled frieze, dentilled cornice and moulded surround; moulded corner cupboard; some plank doors with spur hinges.
Listing NGR: TQ7425868652

Description from record TQ 76 NW 164 :
No 44 High Street is a two-storey building with an attic and a cellar. It is on the corner of the High Street and Two Post Alley and is roofed perpendicular to the High Street. It is jettied at first floor level to both the High Street and Two Post Alley. The timber-framed building dates to the 16th century. The room arrangements were altered and a stair inserted in c.1700. There are a number of 18th century fittings. The shop window dates to the late 19th century. (1)

A preliminary visit viewing the cellar, in 2002. It is possible that Roman masonry will be encountered beneath the floor of the cellar.(2)

A watching brief took place in 2003, during the excavation of two shallow drain trenches in the yard area behind no.44. It uncovered the remains of a possible brick filled cellar.
In the eastern trench, part of a late post medieval brick wall was observed. In the western trench, part of a flint wall was observed, angled inwards from the present property boundary. It may indicate that Two Post Alley, between numbers 44 and 42 was wider at one time.
In addition, examination of the inner face of the south wall of the internal cellar of no.44, showed a quoin, presumed to relate to the flint wall seen in the western trench. The presence of the quoin, made from Roman brick and the later brick wall suggest there was a structure, probably a further cellar behind no 44 under the yard area, built using reused Roman and medieval materials. Or alternatively, an earlier structure ( medieval or Roman?), added to or altered by the later brick wall [3].

Evaluation work within the internal cellar of no.44, discovered a compacted gravel surface believed to have been a Romano-British courtyard surface (TQ 76 NW 365). This was overlain by a sand deposit (of later post medieval date) forming the one identifiable 'floor' layer in the cellar [4].

Further evaluation work within the cellar of no.44. The sand deposit identified during earlier work was identified as the base bedding layer for the earliest floors of the cellar. There was also some evidence of an earlier post medieval or medieval structure that had been truncated away by the cellar. This was in the form of an irregular area of ragstone wall, absorbed into the later north wall of the cellar. Below the modern and post medieval cellar deposits, two areas of masonry were exposed of possible Roman date (probably foundation material), presumed to lie over the gravel layers interpreted as a Roman yard surface (TQ 76 NW 365) [5] .

Archaeological interpretative survey of building carried out on 30/8/2000. Three phases (periods)of construction identified. Period A is medieval - all that survives from this era is the first floor joisting. Much of the detail is hidden. Period B is the mid/late C17th. During this time the ground floor wall along at least one side was rebuilt in brickwork. BY this periods the building was the same length as it is today. The new wall is constructed from dull-red bricks in Flemish bond. Period C (early C18th). The building comprised 3 bays. There was a full attic and a spacious cellar. The ground floor from this period was totally destroyed when this area was later converted to commerical use. The first floor had a rounded backed-fireplace. The second floor has very tall and narrow fireplace, probably narrower than the orginial. Attic was not heated. The stair remains intact from the first floor up. Two chimney stacks. Staircase with hadnrail and balusters dates to period C. (6)

Historic England archive material:BF088999 44 HIGH STREET, ROCHESTER Miniature Format Film Number: 176/L,176/M

Alan Ward, 2005, 44 High Street, Rochester A statement by Alan Ward in relation to the archaeological works undertaken in this building (Unpublished document). SKE15891.

<1> English Heritage, Kent Rochester 44, High Street (Unpublished document). SKE8179.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, A Preliminary Report on 44 High Street Rochester (Unpublished document). SKE12196.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2003, An archaeological watching brief at 44 High Street Rochester (Unpublished document). SKE12463.

<4> Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group, 2004, Phase 1 of Archaeological Works at 44 High Street Rochester (Unpublished document). SKE12451.

<5> Lower Medway Archaeological Research Group, 2004, Phase 2 of Archaeological Works at 44 High Street, Rochester (Unpublished document). SKE12464.

<6> Archaeology South-East, 2005, Archaeological interpretative survey of 44 High St, Rochester. (Unpublished document). SKE15628.