The Priory

ST6834NW 8/114

BRUTON CP HIGH STREET (South side) Nos.34 and 36 (The Priory)

24.3.61

GV II*

Formerly Priory Court House, now offices. C15 modified. Local stone cut and squared, ground floor; jettied timber frame first floor, covered with rendering ashlar lined; stone slate roof between stepped coped gables; brick end chimney stacks. 2 storeys with attics; 6 bays irregular fenestration. To ground floor, ovolo-mould timber frame windows with plain sash inserts and label moulds over; 4-light bay 1; 3-light bays 4 and 6; chamfered cambered arch doorway with C19 part glazed door bay 2, and similar door bay 5; corbelled pilasters to ends and centre first floor, with carved animals supporting heraldic shields (said to refer to John Henton, Prior of Bruton, 1448-1498); between these cover mould to projecting end beams and cill string course, and some moulded vertical posts, all timber; 3-light oriel window with plain sashes to upper bay 1, otherwise upper windows are 2-light ovolo mould frames with plain sashes, under label mouldings: 2 C20 pitched roof dormers with small pane windows in roof. Interior not seen, but reported are the jowled posts carrying first floor ceiling bears and a frayed ceiling with double roll moulding at West end, and roof with tenoned purlins and curved windbraces; otherwise much of the internal work is C19 re-arrangement. (Couzens P, Bruton in Selwood, Abbey Press, Sherborne, 1972; VAG Report, Unpublished SRO, February 1975).

Listing NGR: ST6823134814