Description

THORPE-LE-SOKEN HIGH STREET
TM 1622-1722 (south-west side)

8/93 The Bell Hotel,
29.4.52 formerly listed as
Bell Inn

GV II*

Guildhall or church house, now an hotel. Circa 1500, extended in mid-C16, C18
and C20. Timber framed, partly plastered, partly clad with red brick in Flemish
bond, roofed with handmade red clay tiles, red clay 'Roman' tiles and some
slate. Main range of 5 bays originally facing SW (towards the churchyard),
with an axial stack one bay from the SE end, of 2 storeys. Near the NW end a
taller wing of 2 storeys with attics extends towards the High Street, with an
internal stack at the junction, mid-C16. C18 parallel wing in N angle, of 2
storeys. 3 C20 lean-to extensions and one C20 flat-roofed extension, all
single-storey, to NE of main range. The High Street elevation has scattered
fenestration, mainly C20, including one C18 splayed bay of sashes of 12 lights
on the NE wing. C19 flush 4-panel door in left return of this wing, with
moulded architrave, flat canopy on scrolled brackets, and 5 stone steps with
wrought iron handrails and twisted square balusters. This wing is jettied, with
a carved bressumer (much weathered) and an overhanging gable with carved
bressumer. The elevation facing the churchyard has an underbuilt full-length
jetty, now faced with red brick in Flemish bond; much of this pitch of the roof
has 'Roman' tiles; the higher roof of the NE wing forms a gablet above. Jowled
posts, close studding with curved tension braces trenched to the inside,
edge-halved and bridled scarfs in wallplates. Square rebates for shutters in
wallplate facing churchyard. In the SE part of the main range, moulded beams
andd hollow-chamfered joists of horizontal section; at the NW end, chamfered
beams, plain joists, and blocked stair-trap, suggesting that this is the
original service/entrance end. Tiebeams and storey posts chamfered with mitred
stops. Roof ceiled. In the NE wing the first floor is exceptionally high, the
beams richly carved with spiral-leaf ornament, with plain and roll stops, the
joists of square section with roll mouldings and square stops. RCHM 2. The
money-raising 'ales' mentioned in an inscription in the parish church (item
8/93, q.v.) probably refer to the use of this building. Lands formerly
belonging to the guild of St. Margaret are mentioned frequently in court rolls
of the later C16, and a shop in 'le Townehowse' is mentioned in 1564 (E.A. Wood,
A History of Thorpe-le-Soken to the year 1890, 1975, 27, 36, 46).

Listing NGR: TM1796822310

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532777

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments