Description

TEWKESBURY

SO8932 ABBEY PRECINCTS
859-1/6/351 Abbey House
04/03/52

GV I

Vicarage, former abbot's lodging or guest house. Medieval,
major restructuring early C16, S front refaced late C18,
alterations and extensions late C19 and 1966. Timber-frame,
coursed and random lias stone, Flemish bond brickwork, tile
roof.
PLAN: a long 2-storey building in one-room depth, to simple
gabled roof; 1-storey framed addition at S end. Central hall,
flanked by 2 rooms to E and one to W seems to have had an
upper floor from early C16, probably superseding an earlier
open hall.
EXTERIOR: entrance front, to S, has rubble ground floor with
Guiting stone quoins, and brick upper level in 2+5 windows,
all 12-pane sashes of late C18, to tumbled brick voussoirs;
those at ground floor deeper and brought close to ground
level. To left a small gabled dormer at eaves. In bay 2 a
6-panel flush door under plain transom-light in pilaster
doorcase to large flat hood on consoles and brackets.
To left a low late C19 framed extension, and the return gable
with large C17 brick stack in part-framed wall with brick
skin. Right return has close-stud framing, brick stack, and
some stone and brick walling. Lean-to addition behind N
parapet wall.
N front, to Abbey Churchyard is in lias stone, in 2 storeys,
with irregular fenestration including several 2-light stone
mullioned or mullion and transom casements. To left, beyond
the medieval fabric, a full-height parapet wall contains 4
small casements and a plank door; the main section has canted
stone oriel of period of Abbot Beoly (1509-1531) with transom
and cusped lights above plain band with coats of arms and
damaged rebus, carried on moulded bracket above uncusped
casement. To right is large projecting stack with offset and
corbel, cropped above the eaves, and with short section of
original bold crenellation. A further small stack rises above
the continuous moulded stone eaves course.
INTERIOR: former screens passage with stone flag floor and C20
staircase which partly conceals 4-centred arch in N
(churchyard) wall, flanked by close-studded framed C16
partitions through full height. To right is 3-bay lofty hall
with 4-centred stone fireplace, 2 transverse beams,
6-compartment ceiling, and pair of posts, not built in to
wall, on bases and with haunched heads above roll stops; small
2-light stone window to pointed heads at screens end. Chamber
adjoining to E has 4-compartment ceiling. All sashes with
shutters and linings. Upper hall has been partitioned off to
provide corridor, but retains good stone 4-centred arch
fireplace, and 6-compartment ceiling to moulded beams, 3 bays
with diagonal ribs; at the E end of the corridor a
fielded-panel C18 quadrant cupboard. The oriel has original
decorative vaulting with 2 pendants; the room now as private
chapel. Central roof space in 5 bays, heavy principals with
spurs to curved props, and 'king post' stopped to upper
collar; mostly early rafters, 2 purlins.
Despite modifications, Abbey House retains considerable
important early fabric, and has been carefully restored in the
late C20.

Listing NGR: SO8900932399

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526424

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability