High House

SJ9223SW 590-1/10/47 16/01/51

STAFFORD GREENGATE STREET (West side) Nos.47, 48 AND 49 High House (No.49)

GV II*

House, now museum and shops. 1595, for John Dorrington; extensively restored 1976-86 by FWB Charles. MATERIALS: timber-frame; tile roof with stone and brick stack. PLAN: E-plan. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with attic; symmetrical 5-window range; each upper floor is jettied on console brackets. Ground floor has two C20 shopfronts on ashlar plinth; central porch is reinstated, on ashlar plinth and with open front and side openings. Upper floors have ovolo-mullioned and transomed windows, mostly reinstated; all have leaded glazing. 1st floor has central oriel with 2+2-light bowed window with king mullion and reinstated balustrade with square balusters, flanking 3-light windows and end 2+1+2-light windows with king mullions; 2nd floor has central 2+1+2-light window, flanking 2-light windows and end 1+2+1-light canted oriels; attic has four 5-light windows with 3 upper lights under gables. Timber-framing has mostly square panels with decorative ogee braces, cusping etc. Right return has 2 canted oriels flanking 2-light window to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; 3 gabled windows to attic. Rear has 2 gabled wings, that to left with asymmetrical gable, flanking gabled stair wing. INTERIOR: 2 ashlar fireplaces to ground floor with Tudor arches and damaged friezes over; stop-chamfered beams; open-well stair has turned balusters, stop-chamfered square newels with finials and pendants and moulded handrails. 1st floor landing has mid C18 wallpaper in Gothick style; corridor has rectangular flush panelling repainted in original style; ovolo-moulded beams and timber-framed partition walls; 2 ashlar fireplaces; rear room has surviving pieces of mid C18 wallpaper; room to left end has C20 wallpaper reproducing design of pieces discovered 2nd floor similar. Attic has 2 roof trusses with timber-framed infill flanking stone stack. HISTORY: the house is believed to be the largest timber-framed town house in England; Charles I and Prince Rupert stayed here in 1642; Izaak Walton, 1593-1683, writer, lived here for many years. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: 245; Shell Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire: London: 1978-: 152; Stafford Borough Council: Ancient High House: Tour: 1986-; Lambert B: The Preservation of the Ancient High House: Stafford: 1986-).

Listing NGR: SJ9219923201