Description

LICHFIELD

SK1109NE THE CLOSE
1094-1/5/209 (South side)
05/02/52 Nos.23A AND 23B
and attached wall and gate
(Formerly Listed as:
THE CLOSE
No.23)

GV II*

House, now divided into two, with attached wall to left.
Substantial remains of late C15 house, remodelled and roofs
renewed using old timber in early C18, extensively remodelled
and front built c1812. Brick with some blue brick diapering
and dressed stone to basement; tile roof with crow-stepped
gables and brick end stacks.
PLAN: double-depth plan with rear wing projecting to left
return. Georgian Gothick style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys; symmetrical 5-window range with recessed
block connecting with No.24 (qv). Top cornice and embattled
parapet with gabled kneelers.
Entrance has hipped shallow porch with angle buttresses and
4-centred arch, half-glazed inner door has Y-tracery glazing.
Windows have rubbed brick flat arches and hollow-chamfered
reveals to paired 8-pane sashes with Y-tracery heads; brick
label moulds. Recessed block has similar windows with single
sashes.
Left return has 2-window rear wing and re-entrant C20 porch;
segmental-headed coachhouse door to wing; most windows have
2-light leaded casements with iron opening casements, one late
C19 triangular oriel.
Rear 4-window range, projecting gabled ends; basement has much
very early brick with signs of diapering, some early brick to
upper floors. Windows as to front, paired and triple sashes,
some to right end partly blocked and painted; basement has 2
windows with 4-centred heads and leaded glazing, similar
entrance; attic has 2-light leaded windows. Ground floor
window to left end has iron balcony on enriched openwork pier,
balcony and steps to French window to right end.
Right return has some brick diapering, cross, and ?St Peter's
keys; steps to ground floor entrance; pointed 2-light
Y-tracery stair window with leaded glazing and 9-pane sash
with cambered head; small windows to basement. Wall attached
to front left is probably c1812, brick with cogged cornice and
embattled parapet; gabled gate piers with pointed panels and
paired plank gates. Spur of wall to each end of rear built of
fragments of tracery etc.
INTERIOR: stair hall has c1812 screen of three 4-centred
arches on octagonal piers; C18 open-well stair, repaired 1900,
has turned balusters, square newels and moulded ramped
handrail, slender balusters to top; front right room has early
C19 fireplace; cloakroom with good late C19 basin on enriched
cast-iron stand. Basement has stone front wall; brick right
wall has 2 Tudor-arched openings, now blocked, and part of a
3rd; cellar to front left has wine bins.
Although much altered, this is one of the original houses of
the close.
(Victoria History of the County of Stafford: Greenslade M W:
Lichfield: Oxford: 1990-: P.66; Drury P: The Capitular Estate
of Dean and Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral: 1987-).

Listing NGR: SK1150909688

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17557735

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

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
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  Old House Care and Repair
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  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)