21, Market Place

WELLS

ST5445 MARKET PLACE 662-1/7/159 (North side) 12/11/53 No.21 (Formerly Listed as: MARKET PLACE Nos.3-25)

GV II*

House with shop. c1453, built as part of the "New Works" by Bishop Bekynton, modified in C19. Ashlar stonework, colourwashed, Welsh slate roof behind parapet, brick chimney stack. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with attic, single wide bay. Ground floor has very fine mid C19 projecting shop front (shared with No.23 (qv)), probably C19 of which the stallrisers have ornamental cast-iron vents, ornamented panelled pilasters with console brackets on left, 2-light display window with ornamental column mullions and rounded top corners, glazed doorway to right in angled recess, under semicircular ornamentally glazed fanlight, with large C19 lantern over, shallow fascia with shopblind. Upper floors have a wide shallow canted bay window to full height of parapet, incorporating sash windows of 24+36+24 panes to first floor and 16+24+16 panes to second floor. Medieval string course broken by bay. Small flat roofed dormer behind parapet, flagmast behind parapet to left. Stack to right, on raised coped verge. Rear elevation has one small pointed-arched window, and two ovolo-mould stone mullioned windows, one to ground floor being a 6-light, the other a 3-light to first floor, also the former offset for a chimney breast, now capped. INTERIOR: ground floor has 6-compartment ceiling with moulded beams, an C18 part dado rail, and other C18 features, some possibly imported. In the E part wall an elliptical arched recess. C20 stair to both floors; first floor has front room with 2-compartment ceiling with moulded beams. Second floor has a timber and plaster partition to the W party wall. Medieval roof in 2 bays, with arch-braced collar trusses, but the collar removed from centre truss, and later tie set lower, chamfered windbraces, and 2 purlins. In the rear wall a single-light C17 ovolo-mould casement with 3 vertical stanchions, and a connecting door to No.23 (qv). The front part of the shop said to have vaulted cellar. Part of an outstanding late medieval planned urban group. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: North Somerset and Bristol: London: 1958-: 328).

Listing NGR: ST5504145807