Cathedral Visitors' Study Centre And Attached Wall And Gate

LICHFIELD

SK1109NE THE CLOSE 1094-1/5/213 (South side) 05/02/52 Cathedral Visitors' Study Centre and attached wall and gate (Formerly Listed as: THE CLOSE The Diocesan Registry) (Formerly Listed as: THE CLOSE Garden walls and gate piers of Nos 19, 19A and 19B)

GV II*

Stable and coachhouse and attached wall, muniment room from 1799, study centre from 1986. Late C17 incorporating some medieval masonry, c1800 additions to north and later alterations. Ashlar with some brick; hipped tile roofs with brick stacks. L-plan. 2 storeys; recessed 2-window range with long c1800 range to right. Recessed range has tiled offset to ground floor and 2 windows to 1st floor with 2-light leaded casements; range to right has entrance with re-set medieval gargoyle over and iron gate, inner plank doors; 2 gabled dormers with 2-light leaded casements and 5 slits over offset string course which merges with gabled coping of attached wall. C19 star-shaped cross-axial stacks with moulded caps. Left return facing Minster Pool has 3 windows to each floor with pegged cross casements, and 2-light casements to 1st floor, all with leaded glazing; short length of medieval wall extends along side of pool, with pointed entrance and base of splayed window visible to north. Right return has re-set gargoyle to angle and plain coachhouse door. Rear has of brick with modillioned brick cornice; 2 entrances with stop-chamfered lintels; varied fenestration including single-chamfered-mullioned windows and gabled dormers; wing to right end has some brick rebuilding and large C20 entrance, and blocked round-headed light and cross-casement to left return. Painted sign to front prohibits waggons, carts and cattle from the close. INTERIOR: some exposed chamfered beams and stop-chamfered joists. Wall extends to curved angle, continuing west, of brick with stone coping, to No.19 (qv); plain gate piers with caps and paired plank gates. Garden walls and gate piers of Nos 19, 19A & 19B were listed on 6.3.70. (Victoria History of the County of Stafford: Greenslade M W: Lichfield: Oxford: 1990-: P.65).

Listing NGR: SK1163109752