Gloucester reveals England’s largest example of a timber-framed Tudor town house
Gloucester residents and visitors will now be able to get a glimpse of one of the UK's treasured buildings - a “secret gem” of the city hidden behind a “magic” door in Westgate Street.
*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service. Why? Only only independent, credible journalistically-led platforms that meet the BBC’s high standards win that permission.
Gloucester residents and visitors will now be able to get a glimpse of one of the city’s “secret gems” hidden behind a “magic” door in Westgate Street.
The restoration of the Tudor merchant’s house at 26 Westgate Street is now complete.
And the door to Maverdine Lane has reopened open during the day for people to see the “wonderful” restoration of the largest surviving historic timber-framed townhouse in England.
The grade-I listed building dates back to the late 16th Century but it has been in Historic England’s heritage at risk register since 2012 due to its decaying condition.
However, the building, which is home to Gloucester Antiques Centre, will soon be removed from the list after benefiting from a Historic England grant of more than £314,000 which has made its restoration possible.
Gloucester Mayor Lorraine Campbell addressed a crowd gathered outside the building on May 6 ahead cutting the ribbon at the door to Maverdine Lane.
She said the building which used to be the Winfield Seed Merchants shop has “been in the Gloucester consciousness for so long”.
“Gloucester is blessed again with some remarkable heritage regeneration which protects and preserves the gems that we have in our city.
“Making them strong and usable for generations to come and I’m delighted, absolutely delighted and privileged and honoured to be here.”
She told those present of the “secret gem” she would show friends visiting the city hidden behind the “magic” door to Maverdine Lane.
“It’s wonderful that that will now be accessible.
“Now there will be further memories for people to enjoy now in the future thanks to the work of all these incredible people that we have today and thank you for all your skill.”
Andrew Malone, owner of 26 Westgate Street said it had been a “wonderful” project which had been achieved for a “relatively small amount of money”.
He said the original project in 2015 was £750,000 to undertake urgent repairs to the building.
But they managed to do the restoration for just over £400,000.
“The building is now coming off the buildings at risk register,” he said. It’s been a great success.”
He thanked Historic England for their support, the builders DA Cook Limited for its “sterling” performance and attention to detail.
Joe Cook, managing director of the business, headquartered north of Cheltenham at Dumbleton, and which is also working on a £900,000 project in Prestbury, Cheltenham, said it had been a pleasure to work on the Westgate Street property.
“The benefit of working with English Heritage is they respect the craftsman’s opinion because they understand the building and what it needs - and what needs to be left.
“They had the confidence in Naill Spencer (who led the project for DA Cook) and our team.”
Malone also thanked Gloucester City Council and Gloucester Antiques Centre “for being such a wonderful bunch of people”.
Pictures show before and after of Gloucester Westgate Street merchant’s house’s £315,000 restoration
Mick Cant thanked those involved in the restoration and said the antiques centre had been a very important part of the city for the last 45 years.
“It has been for the last 10 years in one of the most important buildings in the city,” he said.
“It’s lovely that the two are together and all the work and effort that Andrew and his dad Chance (Malone) have put in on behalf of the building and our city.
“This is a really wonderful refurbishment. We’ve lived in some wet patches for quite a while and we are really looking forward to not having those anymore.
“That’s going to be really good and the building is absolutely wonderful in its resplendent Tudor colours which coincidentally happen to be the traditional colours of the antiques centre.”
Chris Miners, of Historic England, said hidden behind the “rather tasteful but bland” early 19th century facade lies the largest historic timber-framed townhouse in England. “It’s always been here,” he said.
“And a lot of people just don’t quite realise it’s here.”
He said the only sign of it which can be seen from ground level in Westgate Street is a gargoyle that’s peeking out from the timber frame.
“That was lost about 200 years ago when a jetted historic timber frame was changed to this and you’ll see down the alley, the two main phases, the bit at the back is Tudor from the 1580s and the front range from the 1620s.
“So we’re really pleased that not only is this a treasure house that’s been conserved, but the treasure house extends the contents as well with the antique center. What a perfect use
“The antique center is a perfect use for untouched 300 year old wall finishes.”
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com and Andrew Merrell, editor of The Raikes Journal.