King John'S Palace (Situated To West Of Tudor House Museum)

1. BLUE ANCHOR LANE 5239 King John's Palace (situated to west of Tudor House Museum) (formerly listed under Bugle Street) SU 4111 3/38 14.7.53

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1. Circa 1170. Early C14 and mid-C14. Remains of a merchant's house, the ground floor originally used for storage and the upper floor as living quarters. It originally stood on the quayside. The west wall was incorporated in the city defences after the French raid of 1338. The roof was removed in the early C20. Two storeys stone. North and west arcades have original C12 windows of 2 round-headed lights in round-arched frames. The west facade also has the blocked archways which led directly on to the quays, one C12 round-headed arch and 2 early C14 segmental-headed arches. Within these blocked arches are 2 vertical defensive slits of the C14 defences which may be the earliest surviving gunports in Britain. Parts of the original stone fireplace on the north side of the first floor survive, including both jambs, with inset shafts and scalloped capitals. Against the east wall is a late Norman chimney of circa 1200, removed from No 79A High Street, in the form of a long round stone shaft rising from a square base. This house is one of the most complete of the larger C12 town houses surviving in the country. Scheduled as an ancient monument.

Listing NGR: SU4255313582