Numbers 13 And 14 And Attached Low Wall, Gate Piers And Overthrow

LICHFIELD

SK1109NE THE CLOSE 1094-1/4/203 (North side) 05/02/52 Nos.13 AND 14 and attached low wall, gate piers and overthrow

GV II

House, No.14 now office, library and flats. Probably c1527, refronted probably early to mid C18 and with wing of 1772-1800, early C19 entrance hall to No.14. Brick with ashlar dressings and some internal timber-frame; double-span tile roof with hips to bays and wing, and brick stacks. Former hall and cross wing now incorporated in symmetrically planned house, with projecting later wing to right. Georgian style. 2 storeys; symmetrical 7-window range: full-height canted bays have 3 windows to each floor. Sill bands and top cornice and stone-coped brick parapet. Entrance has doorcase with pilasters with fluted capitals, entablature blocks, frieze and modillioned cornice, architrave to 6-fielded-panel door, 2 glazed. Windows have rubbed brick flat arches, over 12-pane sashes to left and 4-pane sashes to right of ground floor; 1st floor has 12-pane sashes. Cross-axial stack to rear. C18 rainwater head and fire mark in form of sun. Wing has sill bands and cornice to canted front, returns have modillioned brick cornices. Windows have rubbed brick flat arches over 4-pane horned sashes to front; left return has 12-pane sash to each floor; right return has entrance with architrave, consoled pediment and 6-panel door; segmental-headed windows, one with sill, including 3-light casement with iron opening casement, late C19 bay window and 1st floor 12-pane sash with thick glazing bars, similar window to rear. Rear has 3 gables and C20 additions. INTERIOR: No.13 recorded as having remains of C16 structure: one bay of hall with cambered tie beams to queen strut trusses and pitched ceiling with spine beam and closely-spaced joists, other bays survive in part; framing of cross wing remains to left end; interior features of late C18 including window shutters. No.14 has vaulted brick cellars, including parts with groin vaulting, cellar to front with brick bins, one to rear retaining coppers and stone bowl; open well staircase with cut string, stick balusters, turned newel to foot and ramped handrail; round-headed doorway to lobby with husk moulding to groined vault leading to front room, which has dentilled cornice and fireplace with Ionic pilasters and fluting; attic has exposed purlins, roof to front with king post trusses with double raking struts. Low stone-coped brick wall attached to right of No.13 extends accross frontage, with ashlar gate piers and iron overthrow with lantern. No.13 was a separate house from c1826 or earlier and has housed the Dean Savage Library from 1924 and the Dean and Chapter office from 1975. (Victoria History of the County of Stafford: Greenslade M W: Lichfield: Oxford: 1990-: P.64-5; Drury P: The Capitular Estate of Dean and Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral: 1987-).

Listing NGR: SK1145809782