Old Hall And Attached Gateway

Old Hall and attached gateway is a banqueting hall built between 1489 and 1492, with later enlargements in the 16th century by Ralph Symons, and further lengthening around 1818-1819 under Joseph and Francis Wigg. The hall underwent extensive restoration by Sir John Simpson from 1925 to 1928, and the gateway was added during 1926-1928. The building is constructed of red brick with blue diaper patterns and stone dressings, topped with a tiled roof featuring tall brick stacks at either end and a central 20th-century wooden louvred lantern with a cupola and weathervane.

The exterior is single storey and notable for having four traceried bay windows that extend the full height of the building, with one on each end of the east and west facades. The walls between these windows are buttressed and contain three 3-light traceried windows set under 4-centred arches. On the east facade, there is a Tudor-style entrance beneath the right window, featuring a moulded pointed arch with a hood mould, enriched spandrels, and label stops. The building is topped with an embattled parapet. To the left of the main entrance is an attached gateway, which includes a foot passage to the left of a main four-centred vehicle arch, a 6-light oriel window, and a small gable above. Inside the gateway, there is a re-set 13th-century arch on shafts, adorned with dog-tooth ornament, likely from the wall-arcading of the original 13th-century hall.

The interior of the hall features an arch-braced roof with collar beams, walls lined with linenfold panelling, and an oak screen made by joiner Robert Linton, which was installed in 1624. A clock was added in 1819.

Historically, the Society of Lincoln's Inn moved to this site around 1422, taking over the town house of the Bishops of Chichester, who had been established there since approximately 1227. The medieval buildings were gradually replaced, with the Old Hall being the earliest surviving structure.