Tunnel House

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17/12/2015

ST6867 739-1/6/88

SALTFORD HIGH STREET (North side) Tunnel House

(Formerly listed as Brunel's Tunnel House Hotel, NORMAN ROAD, previously listed as: KEYNSHAM, NORMAN ROAD, Saltford (North side) Tunnel House)

27/02/50

GV II Detached house. Late C18, altered in early C19. Limestone ashlar to main south facade, render to remaining with ashlar dressings, copings, end gable stacks and slate roof. PLAN: double-depth plan with central entrance leading to staircase and 2 reception rooms either side. EXTERIOR: 3 storey; 3-window range. South front with plat band above ground-floor windows, sills to upper floors, plain cornice and blind parapet ramped to stacks on return walls.Openings to ground-floor are late C20 French windows, those to upper floors are late C20 multi-paned casements. Central recessed doorway with early C19 8-panel door and decorative fanlight above obscured by modern canopy. INTERIOR: stone flags to entrance hall, open well late C18 staircase with deal handrail and stick balusters. Several early C19 reeded cornices and similar surrounds to doorways.Back right-hand room on ground floor has 2 early C19 china cupboards with shelving. Bedrooms have early C19 chimneypieces with stopped roundel or reeded surrounds and contemporary grates. HISTORICAL NOTE: the house acquired the name Tunnel House when the GWR Bristol to London line was built directly under it. The property was bought in April 1836 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and conveyed to the Great Western Railway company in December 1837; the line was opened in 1840.

(Elizabeth White: Keynsham and Saltford: Keynsham: 1990-: 9-10).

Listing NGR: ST6831167373