Description

SJ9223SW
590-1/10/47
16/01/51

STAFFORD
GREENGATE STREET
(West side)
Nos.47, 48 AND 49
High House (No.49)

GV
II*

House, now museum and shops. 1595, for John Dorrington;
extensively restored 1976-86 by FWB Charles.
MATERIALS: timber-frame; tile roof with stone and brick stack.
PLAN: E-plan.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with attic; symmetrical 5-window range;
each upper floor is jettied on console brackets. Ground floor
has two C20 shopfronts on ashlar plinth; central porch is
reinstated, on ashlar plinth and with open front and side
openings. Upper floors have ovolo-mullioned and transomed
windows, mostly reinstated; all have leaded glazing. 1st floor
has central oriel with 2+2-light bowed window with king
mullion and reinstated balustrade with square balusters,
flanking 3-light windows and end 2+1+2-light windows with king
mullions; 2nd floor has central 2+1+2-light window, flanking
2-light windows and end 1+2+1-light canted oriels; attic has
four 5-light windows with 3 upper lights under gables.
Timber-framing has mostly square panels with decorative ogee
braces, cusping etc. Right return has 2 canted oriels flanking
2-light window to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; 3 gabled windows
to attic. Rear has 2 gabled wings, that to left with
asymmetrical gable, flanking gabled stair wing.
INTERIOR: 2 ashlar fireplaces to ground floor with Tudor
arches and damaged friezes over; stop-chamfered beams;
open-well stair has turned balusters, stop-chamfered square
newels with finials and pendants and moulded handrails. 1st
floor landing has mid C18 wallpaper in Gothick style; corridor
has rectangular flush panelling repainted in original style;
ovolo-moulded beams and timber-framed partition walls; 2
ashlar fireplaces; rear room has surviving pieces of mid C18
wallpaper; room to left end has C20 wallpaper reproducing
design of pieces discovered 2nd floor similar. Attic has 2
roof trusses with timber-framed infill flanking stone stack.
HISTORY: the house is believed to be the largest timber-framed
town house in England; Charles I and Prince Rupert stayed here
in 1642; Izaak Walton, 1593-1683, writer, lived here for many
years.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire:
London: 1974-: 245; Shell Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire:
London: 1978-: 152; Stafford Borough Council: Ancient High
House: Tour: 1986-; Lambert B: The Preservation of the Ancient
High House: Stafford: 1986-).

Listing NGR: SJ9219923201

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Ancient High House at Wikipedia
• Ancient High House official website
• Wikidata IDs Q17545213 Q4752857

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)