History in Structure

The Former Wright and Pankhurst Building

A Grade II Listed Building in Rye, East Sussex

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Coordinates

Latitude: 50.9528 / 50°57'9"N

Longitude: 0.7344 / 0°44'4"E

OS Eastings: 592156

OS Northings: 120597

OS Grid: TQ921205

Mapcode National: GBR RZ1.0JF

Mapcode Global: FRA D6FL.FYR

Plus Code: 9F22XP3M+4Q

Entry Name: The Former Wright and Pankhurst Building

Listing Date: 10 September 2003

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1390719

English Heritage Legacy ID: 491241

ID on this website: 101390719

Location: Rye, Rother, East Sussex, TN31

County: East Sussex

District: Rother

Town: Rother

Civil Parish: Rye

Built-Up Area: Rye

Traditional County: Sussex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): East Sussex

Church of England Parish: Rye

Church of England Diocese: Chichester

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description


RYE

776/0/10018 TOWER STREET
10-SEP-03 17
The former Wright and Pankhurst Building

GV II

Repository stores, later book company and finally antique showroom. Built in 1907, Architect Philip Henry Tree of St Leonard's for local carriers Wright and Pankhurst as a fireproof repository and stores. Classical style. Built of brown brick in English bond with red brick and stone dressings and mansard tiled roof. Four storeys, three windows to the front. Three storeys and attics, three windows to the sides.
EXTERIOR: Front elevation has three giant round-headed arches between first and third floors with stone keystones and impost blocks. The central window has fixed casements with 12 panes and the end windows are opening casements. The ground floor has central double doors, half-glazed, with granite keystones which are flanked by smaller round-headed windows and at the sides are two round-heded niches with granite keystones and a stone date plaque surviving to the left side only. This has the date 1907 with the initials Wand P (for Wright and Pankhurst) with a carving of a galleon and dolphin. The right side elevation has three blocked dormers, a cornice above the second floor and four pilasters between first and second floor with decorative rainwater heads, decorative S-shaped iron tie plates to first and third floors and two heart-shaped iron tie plates to the second floor. There are three casement windows but the left hand third floor opening has a wooden fire escape and the ground floor has three round-headed windows with granite keystones. The left side elevation has a mansard roof with brick chimneystack. The rear elevation has a projecting lifttower and a loading dock and the windows have original openings but later C20 windows. There is a later C20 shutterfronted grille at the base of the lifttower.
INTERIOR: Contains original sliding fire doors produced by Lucas and Son of Brockley, Lewisham and concrete staircase.
HISTORY: At the time the building was described in an advertising brochure as "the only absolutely fireproof building of its kind in England - each floor heated by the most up-to-date scientific hot air apparatus and served by a gas powered lift to reduce the risk of handling." Wright and Pankhurst were described as a Motor-car proprietor from 1911 but their horse drawn taxi service continued until the 1930s.

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