Tower House

Tower House

A large detached house in grounds on St Andrew Street, Wells. Dating from the early 14th and 15th centuries with modifications in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, this Grade II* listed building represents one of the best-preserved early medieval townscapes in the city.

The house is constructed of local stone rubble with Doulting ashlar dressings. The roof is slated to the east elevation but pantiled to the rear slopes, with what were formerly stone tiles. Brick chimney stacks rise from stone bases.

The plan comprises a long north-south first-floor hall range with an undercroft at the south end, an added bay containing a tower at the north end, and a short projecting wing to the rear (west). A later main staircase is positioned opposite an internal angle where a lean-to addition has been inserted, containing a circular stair turret at the north end.

The east elevation, facing the Liberty, displays two storeys with an attic and five bays plus a north-east corner three-storey tower. The first bay contains a 15-pane sash window with thick glazing bars at mezzanine level, beneath which are a 6-pane casement, a slim casement to the lower ground floor, and a 6-pane casement under the eaves. The second bay features a partly glazed entrance door in a moulded wooden frame with plain timber hood, above which sit a small 8-pane and a large 18-pane sash window. The third and fourth bays have large 12-pane sash windows. The fifth bay contains a 12-pane sash to the ground floor, with a 2-light mullioned window at first floor having cambered arched lights and a square label; a similar mullioned window without label appears under the eaves. The tower contains small stair windows and a south-east corner turret corbelled out above first-floor level, with a plain parapet. Various alterations are evident in the stonework, including infill under a segmental relieving arch over the entrance door, a relieving arch over the bay 4 ground-floor window, and a long jamb to the right with a straight joint between bays 4 and 5. The north wall of the turret has a 2-light mullioned window at second-floor level with curl-end square label; a similar window without label appears in the main north gable.

The main gables are coped. The south gable, facing St Andrew Street, contains two 18-pane sash windows to the ground floor: one set within the moulded head and jambs of an earlier 2-light window, the other set under a semicircular arch with deadlight above, and a slim window to the left in a moulded opening. Above in the gable is a blocked 2-light Decorated traceried pointed-arched window with transom, its outline marked on the rendering. The westward wing, set back one bay from the south end of the main range, comprises two bays with 18-pane sash windows, doubled at ground-floor level.

The interior of the main range contains a dog-leg stair opposite the main entry. To its left is a three-storey range on the undercroft; at first-floor level the square room features a cusped rere-arch to a former stone-mullioned tracery window matching that above, and 16th-century panelling. The main ground floor is divided by a corridor to the west side. The main hall above contains a fireplace at the north end and openings to the tower and to the former staircase. The tower contains a spiral staircase, and a further spiral stair is contained in a turret to the west of the hall at the north end.

The main roof spans four bays with heavy cambered collars to arch braces, principals halved to a diagonal ridge-piece, two ranges of wind-bracing, and chamfered purlins with run-out stops. Between the purlins at mid-bay is a post in the plane of the roof. The brattished plate has a frieze with pierced quatrefoils. The wing contains a two-bay roof frame in identical detail.

The ground floor of the wing, now a kitchen, is entered through a late medieval door constructed of vertical plank on horizontal and has a stone-flagged floor and a four-compartment ceiling with moulded beams. A wide four-centred arch with panelled soffit contains a later door. The attached lean-to to the north includes a bread-oven without a stack.

The house was allocated as the Precentor's House in 1338, though it is sometimes known as the House of the Master of the Fabric, this lacks documentary evidence. From 1734 it became an ordinary canonical house and later served as a Bishop's residence. At the end of the 19th century it was the residence of the Vice-Principal of the Theological College; the novelist Elizabeth Goudge was born here, daughter of one of the residents. The house is now in private ownership.