Ledbury, Herefordshire

Old, with later facilitiesChurch Lane in Ledbury is one of those streets that features in books with titles like ‘Beautiful Britain’ or ‘England’s Historic Towns’. The combination of a narrow lane, houses, a pub, and other buildings dating from the 15th to the early-19th century in a mix of brick and timber-framed construction, has an irresistible pull, the eye drawn unerringly to the spire of the town’s medieval church that closes the view. Taking in the rich architectural mix, but with minds fixed firmly on a destination – the church perhaps, or the painted room – many visitors fail to notice the most modest structure. This is a former outbuilding, now forming a public lavatory. It combines the two building materials most common in the town centre – red brick and black and white timber framing – with dormer windows in the tiled roof, to delightful effect. Metal signs denoting the building’s two entrances are the only things that make it different from its neighbours.I wasn’t…