Description

WELLS

ST5445 MARKET PLACE
662-1/7/153 (East side)
12/11/53 No.14
Diocesan Registry

GV II

Offices. Early C20 facade to C15 fabric, formerly a wing to
the Bishop's Eye gatehouse (qv). Doulting ashlar stone, wing
rendered, Broughton Moor slates in diminishing courses, coped
gable to north, abutment to south. C17 style.
PLAN: front range has a staircase to the rear, left, then a
long wing to the right facing S over the green; there is
access also to the upper stages of the adjoining Bishop's Eye.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and basement, 3 bays. Moulded parapet
string and battlemented parapet. Cruciform ovolo-mould windows
with rectangular leading to all but lower bay 1, with
rectangular leaded panes, entrance in bay 1 having wide
2-panelled door with 2-pane fanlight in ovolo-mould opening to
match; stackhead to left features Diocesan arms, with lead
downpipe.
The wing has a Welsh slate roof between coped gables, and an
ashlar chimney. 2 storeys, seven bays. Sash windows of 8 panes
in plain openings, buttresses with offsets dressed with slate
between bays 2 and 3 and bays 4 and 5. Worn oval niche high in
otherwise plain east gable.
INTERIOR: the ground floor front room has a very large stone
fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch and C18 surround, and
panelling; one cupboard door has a bolection mould architrave.
The C17 dog-leg staircase has a solid string, splat balusters
and square newel; to the right on this floor is access to a
spiral stair in the gatehouse. The first floor principal room
has a large stone fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch plus
bolection mould surround, 2 doorways with 4-centred arches, a
former 4-light (now 2) ovolo-mould casement with stanchion
bars, and 2 deep embrasures. There are some late C17 3-panel
doors. The basement has a stone floor and central beam, and
the roof structure is a C19 queen-post with straps.
The rear wing is plainly detailed; the roof has a series of
pegged collar trusses.
A photograph of 1930 shows the front to the Market Place with
8-pane sashes, and a full-width stopped drip-course.
(Howell C: Wells in Old Photographs: Gloucester: 1989-: 23).

Listing NGR: ST5507345799

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26663001

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

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)