Former Exchequer Building, Now University Library

NZ 2742 SW 14/352

DURHAM AND FRAMWELLGATE, PALACE GREEN (West side), Former Exchequer Building, now university library

GV I

Chancery and exchequer courts, now library. Between 1438 and 1457 for Bishop Neville. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings; stone-flagged roof. 3 storeys, 2 bays. Steps down to studded, ledged boarded door at right of first bay in 2-centred-arched surround with fragments of roll moulding on lower course, renewed on course above, and chamfer above that. Ground-floor windows at left and at right have 3 Tudor-headed lights and label moulds. First-floor windows have 3 round-headed stepped lights; second floor has 3 windows with 2 round-headed lights, all under dripmoulds and with chamfered surrounds. Neville arms (ears removed from horse's head) between upper windows under canopy on angel bracket. Eaves string; parapet, formerly battlemented, has roll-moulded coping.

Interior: central passage to 12-ribbed vault; newel stair to right of this; a second newel survives in part at rear of building, heavily weathered. C17 open-well stair has widely-spaced barley-sugar twist balusters, closed string and high grip handrail; partly renewed. Many stop-chamfered flat Tudor- arched door surrounds, including those to Chancery Court and Exchequer Court, now one room. Masons' mark (W with central projecting cross) on these and on a third ground-floor door. Square-headed door at rear has stopped chamfer with narrower chamfer below. Original stop-chamfered beams and ceilings over both floors, the beams with 3 hollow chamfers.

Listing NGR: NZ2734442299