Dick Whittington Tavern, 100 Westgate Street

Dick Whittington Tavern, 100 Westgate Street

A 15th-century merchants' house, refronted in the 18th century and now operating as the Dick Whittington Tavern as of 2024. The building is constructed of timber-frame with the south elevation refronted in red brick with stone dressings. The roof is slate with red brick chimneys. A 20th-century rear extension of red brick has been added.

The building is L-shaped in plan, comprising a rectangular front range facing Westgate Street with a long timber-framed wing behind.

The front range stands two storeys with an attic storey. It is built in a Provincial Classical style with red brick and stone dressing, symmetrical and of five bays with a slight projection to the central three bays. Classical architectural language is expressed through an offset plinth, stone sill band at ground-floor level (now interrupted by later inserted windows), and sill band and crowning entablature with modillion cornice and pediment over the central projecting bays and modillion eaves. The outer bays have stone balustraded parapets with turned balusters and flanking piers with moulded caps, each topped by large stone urns with swags carved onto their bowls.

At ground-floor level, a 19th-century timber shopfront has been inserted to the central bays with reeded architraves and paterae carved corner blocks. The top lights include stained glass bearing the initials of the company Merrylees, Pugh and Co. Either side in the setback bays, the original windows have been enlarged with 18th-century keystones raised within rubbed brick flat arches and 19th-century mullion frames with upper transoms.

The first-floor windows are six-over-six sashes. The outer bays have rubbed brick arches with 18th-century keystones, while the central projecting range has mostly stone frames with eared and shouldered architraves and raised three-facet keystones, save for the central window which has a swag with sculpted head.

The first bay of the east return is of red brick with stone plinth to sill-band level, featuring a single two-panel entrance door with rectangular fanlight and one single sash window at first-floor level.

Behind sits a timber-framed range running alongside the Church of St Nicholas, comprising five bays set on a coursed stone plinth.

At ground-floor level the first two bays are rendered timber-frames on a solid stone plinth under a continuous bressumer supporting the first-floor projecting jetty. The first bay has two steps rising to an 18th-century entrance doorway with a six-panel door and semi-circular fanlight with radiating glazing bars above. All windows in this section are 18th-century eight-over-eight sashes. The supporting posts between bays are faced with slender carved colonnettes supporting knee braces under the first-floor jetty. The first panel of the third bay is unwindowed with exposed close studding to the lower section. The fourth bay projects slightly, enclosing the supporting posts except at the ends of the knee braces, below which is stepped access to basement level. The final bay features a canted bay window with three 18th-century four-over-four sashes.

At first-floor level the timber-framed wing has an oriel with two eight-over-eight sash windows over the first bay and two eight-over-eight sash windows over the fourth bay. The canted bay window continues to first-floor level with four-over-four sash windows.

Beyond the timber-framed wing is a modern three-storey red brick extension under two parallel pitched roofs with a projecting stairwell to the east. All windows are three-over-three sashes and the south elevation has a set of 20th-century French doors.

Interior

The ground-floor space is open throughout the entire five bays, with most internal walls and partitions removed. A modern bar area has been constructed on the right with modern narrow ancillary spaces behind containing some exposed timber-framing.

The ceiling of the front bay has chamfered cross beams and a dragon beam, evidencing that the building was originally jettied to two sides. The ceiling shows exposed floor joists with empty mortice joints but no uprights. To the right, a 20th-century timber and glass screen creates an access point from the side door leading down a staircase to basement level.

In the second bay, a side entrance leads into a 21st-century glazed lobby. The lobby encloses a mid-18th-century staircase in two flights with open string, curtail step, richly carved foliage tread-end brackets, barley sugar balusters and swept handrail.

The rear range has exposed timber-framing, timber panelling to one small section, and a small panelled lobby providing access to the modern extension. The principal ceiling beams are substantial with plain chamfers and stops. Some beams retain remains of 16th-century plain red painting schemes, probably representing several schemes relating to an earlier layout. Earlier upright beams with open joints remain inside the later bay windows to the west, evidencing alterations to this wall. The 20th-century extension beyond contains a modern staircase and toilets providing access to both basement and upper floors.

The basement level is now a large open space with large chamfered beams running east-west with plain stops. A modern bar is located on the left-hand wall with several narrow brick vaulted ancillary spaces behind. 20th-century toilets have been inserted to the south-east. Beyond is a historic barrel drop with late 19th-century two-leaf vertical panelled doors with iron bars at the windows set into a later door frame. All windows are six-pane casements with top opening lights. A central 20th-century door provides external access.

At first floor, the front range comprises two rooms, both with chimney stacks but no fireplaces, and plain cornicing. The eastern room has had its ceilings lowered, resulting in them cutting across the sash windows. A low boxed-in beam running north to south may suggest room dimensions have been altered. This room has 18th-century timber panelling below dado. All doors are 20th-century two-panel doors.

The front range is separated from the back range by the 18th-century staircase and a wide landing. Beyond is a run of two plain plastered rooms accessed from a long corridor. A small fragment of 17th-century wall painting survives in a blocked window, depicting buildings or a townscape with pointed trees in the background, dated to the 17th century.

A large chimney breast intersects the rear range at its mid-point. Beyond it are two further rooms; the first has 18th-century dado panelling and an 18th-century fireplace. The second room has 18th-century dado panelling and a 19th-century fire surround. Some dado panelling has been removed to reveal a scheme of late 17th-century or early 18th-century historic wall paintings of fruit, flowers and foliage in the style of imitation textile. This is considered a rare and important example. Beyond is a small kitchen and stairwell, part of the 20th-century rear extension. On the eastern side of the corridor two small additions house 20th-century bathrooms.

The roof structure of the front range is constructed of queen posts with principal purlins and curved wind braces. The main roof of the rear range is constructed of four queen posts with central struts and angled struts above the collars between principal purlins with curved wind braces. Both are dated to the late 15th century by dendrochronology.