Corn Stores

SU 4767 SW WHARF STREET

65/6/231 Numbers 1-8 (consecutive) Corn Stores 29.9.50 GV II*

Alternatively known as : OLD GRANARY, Warehouse, now museum and shop. Circa late C17, altered circa 1935 and 1970. Red brick in Flemish bond with some vitrified headers and timber gallery on front. Clay plain tile roof with gabled ends. PLAN: Long narrow single depth range of eight cells, each cell of two bays; and with continuous timber gallery at front with double flight of stairs at centre. Ground floor remodelled in 1930s when front wall of the ground floor was replaced by bay windows. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Long north front with C20 canted bay windows on the ground floor. Timber gallery cantilevered out on first floor with double flight of wooden stairs at centre; the main roof is carried down to form a canopy over the gallery and is supported on a series of cranked posts with wooden rails between, the rails in front of the first floor doorways removeable; the first floor doorways have plank doors, timber lintels and semi-circular relieving arches, their tympana pierced by extended tie-beams of the main roof which support the gallery roof. Some later inserted windows at rear. East end wall rebuilt or refaced in brick. INTERIOR: Ground floor has unchamfered cross-beams jettied out at front to support gallery. Brick partition walls dividing range into eight bays, each bay with 2-bay roof with queen-post and collar trusses, the softwood tie-beams extending through front wall to support gallery roof purlin; tenoned purlins; common-rafter couples intact. The roof has been strengthened by later diagonal braces and intermediate collars. NOTE: This warehouse is situated on the old wharf of the River Kennet, and it adjoins the Cloth Hall of 1626-7, which was built as a municipal cloth-weaving workshop to provide employment for the poor.

Listing NGR: SU4719867140