Church House

WHITCHURCH CANONICORUM

104/0/10011 Church House 08-APR-04

GV II Poor house, now two dwellings. Circa early C19; remodelled circa 1830s; altered C20. Stuccoed stone rubble. Welsh slate roof with gabled ends. Brick axial and gable-end stacks. PLAN: Long rectangular 3-storey range situated near the church; remodelled circa 1830s with service rooms on the ground floor and principal rooms on the first floor and attics above; now two dwellings. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys. Asymmetrical 6-bay south east front; five small 2-light casements with glazing bars on the second floor; second floor has two 12-pane sashes, two very large 20-pane and 24-pane sashes and two 2-light casements with glazing bars; ground floor has C20 casements on right and C20 panelled double door to left. At rear [NW] an asymmetrical arrangement of 2-light casements with glazing bars and C20 conservatory on right. INTERIOR: Ground floor at south west end, a small room with fireplace with simple early C19 chimneypiece and range and room to south west of centre with large kitchen fireplace with timber bressumer and oven. First floor, some early C19 panelled doors and Victorian fireplace with chimneypiece and grate. Second floor attics have exposed roof structure with staggered tenoned purlins. NOTE: A building on this site is depicted on Isaac Taylor's map of 1765 and the 1866 OS map gives it as Church House. SOURCES: [1] Isaac Taylor 1765 map; Dorset County Museum. [2] 1866 OS map. A good example of a pre 1834 Act poor house.