The north-western range of 139 London Road was probably originally built as a detached C18 house of two storeys, attics and basement; of three bays with a central entrance and two end chimneystacks. It was in use as an ale house which later became a public house. First it was called the King and Queen, subsequently The Swan, and was identified as the Rock and Fountain Beer House in the 1881 Census. On the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1871 a rear range had already been added and there was a separate L-shaped building shown in the yard, possibly stabling or some other outbuilding. By the 1896 Map a projecting single storey extension had been added to the northern half of the frontage and by the 1909 edition there was an extension across the whole of the front.