Fowey Museum

Fowey Museum

Located on the north side of Trafalgar Square, Fowey, this is a first-floor hall building, possibly originally a merchant's house, which was later used as a town hall or guildhall with cells in the basement undercroft. It dates from the 15th or 16th century with later remodelling.

The building is constructed of killas rubble with some granite dressings, and has a dry Oelabole slate roof laid to diminishing courses. It follows a rectangular single-depth plan with very thick walls. It probably originally consisted of a first-floor hall open to the roof, but was floored to create an extra storey in the 17th century. A probable through-passage was originally positioned aligned with the present doorway.

The exterior is 2 storeys over basement. The entrance front contains 4 original openings: a complex-moulded round-arched light on the left with sunk spandrels, and a similar opening at far right, both with iron bars; a moulded basket-arched doorway with remains of square hoodmould towards the right, approached by a flight of granite steps from the left; and a tall 2-light moulded mullioned window with cinquefoil lights and leaded glazing with square hoodmould left of centre. Both the doorway and large window have relieving arches. The basement has 2 small 17th-century chamfered cell windows. Above and to the left of the original large window is a 20th-century copy 16-pane horned sash, and to the right and above the doorway is an old 9-pane fixed light in a small opening, both of these openings cut through at a later date.

The irregular 3-storey rear (or 2-storey-over-basement) contains numerous window openings cut into the wall at various times, or in some cases possibly enlarged from original openings. Most contain 20th-century horned sashes with glazing bars, though some originally thick glazing bars have unfortunately been removed and replaced. The only original but altered opening is towards the left with relieving arch over, probably a former doorway opposite the front doorway and originally accessed by a flight of steps. There is a later mostly blocked opening on the left, and below these openings under a long timber lintel is a doorway and window with blocking of former adjoining window openings at left and right. At first-floor right is a pair of windows practically surrounded by 20th-century rebuilt masonry, positioned opposite the original large window in the front wall, perhaps indicating a once similar window here. Below this is a very long timber lintel spanning a door, window, door and window, likely the position of an original basement undercroft doorway, with rebuilt masonry above the left-hand doorway perhaps replacing a relieving arch. The second floor has a very small window at far left, then a small window, then a 12-pane sash, and on the right a 16-pane sash in a 20th-century opening with brick jambs.

The interior features 17th-century chamfered cross beams above the first-floor space and a boarded barrel ceiling, presumably also 17th century in origin, under the roof structure. On the right, leading to the 1787 Town Hall, is a late 19th-century staircase with turned newels. The basement was not inspected, nor was the roof structure, but both are likely to be 17th century or original. This is a very important building in the town and deserves thorough recording to establish its development.