For many years a glance up Clark's Row, a narrow alley off St Aldate's just opposite the gates to the memorial garden at Christ Church, gave a view of an Oxford building that could not have been more of a contrast to the grandeur of the college across the road. Covered in plastic sheeting and plywood boarding the structure behind No. 84 St Aldate's was gradually falling over and rotting away (Fig. 1). Yet as part of a listed building, the city council refused to allow its demolition. They recognised its significance as one of the few survivals of an intact vernacular building in the centre of the city – but its story is even more interesting, and is in fact linked to that of its elegant neighbour across the road.

The recording of the rear building at No. 84 St Aldate's was a major venture for the Oxfordshire Buildings Record (OBR). It began with an approach by the then owner, Jonathan Ungar, who was planning to rebuild the timber-framed structure as part of a development of modern apartments covering the entire rear of the plot. He had obtained drawings from the London firm of Jamie Fobert Architects, and planning permission was granted in July 2009.