Diocesan Registry

WELLS

ST5445 MARKET PLACE 662-1/7/153 (East side) 12/11/53 No.14 Diocesan Registry

GV II

Offices. Early C20 facade to C15 fabric, formerly a wing to the Bishop's Eye gatehouse (qv). Doulting ashlar stone, wing rendered, Broughton Moor slates in diminishing courses, coped gable to north, abutment to south. C17 style. PLAN: front range has a staircase to the rear, left, then a long wing to the right facing S over the green; there is access also to the upper stages of the adjoining Bishop's Eye. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and basement, 3 bays. Moulded parapet string and battlemented parapet. Cruciform ovolo-mould windows with rectangular leading to all but lower bay 1, with rectangular leaded panes, entrance in bay 1 having wide 2-panelled door with 2-pane fanlight in ovolo-mould opening to match; stackhead to left features Diocesan arms, with lead downpipe. The wing has a Welsh slate roof between coped gables, and an ashlar chimney. 2 storeys, seven bays. Sash windows of 8 panes in plain openings, buttresses with offsets dressed with slate between bays 2 and 3 and bays 4 and 5. Worn oval niche high in otherwise plain east gable. INTERIOR: the ground floor front room has a very large stone fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch and C18 surround, and panelling; one cupboard door has a bolection mould architrave. The C17 dog-leg staircase has a solid string, splat balusters and square newel; to the right on this floor is access to a spiral stair in the gatehouse. The first floor principal room has a large stone fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch plus bolection mould surround, 2 doorways with 4-centred arches, a former 4-light (now 2) ovolo-mould casement with stanchion bars, and 2 deep embrasures. There are some late C17 3-panel doors. The basement has a stone floor and central beam, and the roof structure is a C19 queen-post with straps. The rear wing is plainly detailed; the roof has a series of pegged collar trusses. A photograph of 1930 shows the front to the Market Place with 8-pane sashes, and a full-width stopped drip-course. (Howell C: Wells in Old Photographs: Gloucester: 1989-: 23).

Listing NGR: ST5507345799