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

• Wikidata Q17526424

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