17, Chamberlain Street

WELLS

ST5445 CHAMBERLAIN STREET 662-1/7/56 (South side) 12/11/53 No.17

GV II

House, probably once two houses. Late C16 or C17, early C19 facade, and C18 extension in one bay to left, returning to Union Street. Rendered and colourwashed, triple roll clay tiled roof with stepped coped east gable, abutment to west, behind a parapet, brick chimney stacks. PLAN: the original house was central entry cross-passage plan, left room heated, with staircase rear right; a further bay added, with second staircase. Lean-to additions in 2 parts to rear, with small enclosed garden. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 3 bays, of which bay 1 projects slightly. Sash windows with exposed boxes in plain openings, 6-pane lower bay 1 and upper bays 2 and 3, with 9-pane windows to lower bays 2 and 3, no window upper bay 1. Entrance doors between bays 1 and 2 and 2 and 3, the former a C19 boarded door and the latter a 6-panel door with plain architrave crowned with a label moulding. At the former left gable, where the 2 ranges join, is a double brick stack. The gabled return to Union Street has a large arched 12-pane sash. INTERIOR: the whole ground floor of the early section has large lias stone flags. Ceilings are very low. The staircase is a tight wooden spiral, and at first floor some wide elm boards remain. First floor left has a fireplace with a very large timber bressumer. The roof is in 3 bays with heavy pegged collar principals to a diagonal ridge, stopped chamfer purlins, and many original rafters: the ties have been cut out, and lower collars bolted on. The added bay has a straight flight stair with winders at the top. An interesting early building, set down slightly from the street level, and indicating its early provenance from the small vertical scale.

Listing NGR: ST5478045811