Tower House

WORCESTER

SO8554SW SEVERN STREET 620-1/20/508 (West side) 05/04/71 No.1 Tower House (Formerly Listed as: SEVERN STREET Tower House)

GV II

House, now shop and flat. Mid C18 with later additions and alterations including shop front of Late C19. Central hallway plan. Reddish-brown brick in Flemish bond with stone quoins and plain tile roof. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 5 first-floor windows. Chamfered plinth surmounted by end quoins to full height. 6/6 sashes where original, otherwise 1/1 horned sashes, all in near-flush frames and with flat arches of gauged brick and with keystones. Modillion eav*es band. To ground floor at right a plate glass shop window with pilasters embellished with strapwork and with dragon masks to corbel-capitals. Central entrance: 4-panel double doors, the upper panels glazed and lower panels have strapwork embellishment in surround with fluted pilasters and lion-head masks to corbels surmounted by modillion 'gable' which interrupts a round brick arch. Rear retains 8/8 sashes in plain reveals and with sills under flat arches of red rubbed brick and with keystones. Modillion eaves band. INTERIOR: open-well staircase has rod on vase balusters with square knops, 2 per tread, and cylindrical newels. To inside of entrance the doorcase has pulvinated frieze and broken pediment with bust. Room to left has alcove with raised-and-fielded-panel cupboard doors and shaped shelves, dentil cornice. C19 fireplace embellished with columns and foliate decoration. Further cupboard with panelled doors and dentil eaves cornice. Room to right has inserted panelling in C17 style with carved strapwork frieze and dentil cornice. A further similar alcove. 6-panel doors. HISTORICAL NOTE: Severn Street was formerly known as Frog Lane and housed the Worcester salmon fishing families for generations until netting was prohibited in 1929. Tower House occupies an important position near Edgar Tower, College Green (qv) and also forms a good group with Nos 2-16 (consecutive) Edgar Street and No.12 College Precincts (qqv) which all form part of the setting for the Cathedral (qv).