Details
LICHFIELD
SK1109SE THE FRIARY
1094-1/8/232 (South side)
05/02/52 Lichfield College and Lichfield
Library
(Formerly Listed as:
BIRMINGHAM ROAD
Lichfield Friary Grammar School for
Girls)
GV II
Part of Franciscan Friary, converted to house and then to
school. c1295, altered and extended to north, 1538, for
Gregory Stonynge; extended, 1921-8, by GC Lowbridge, County
Architect.
Ashlar and brick; tile roofs with brick stacks.
T-plan with end cross-wings, original building forming end and
cross-wing of arm to right.
Original building, known as the Bishop's Lodging, forms L-plan
with short wing. Mostly ashlar with some brick.
North wing: 2 storeys with attic; 3-window left return range.
2 offset ashlar and brick buttresses; 3 coped gables. Pointed
entrance to right end has single-chamfered arch. Tall stair
window to left end has leaded glazing, 3-light ovolo-mullioned
window to left; 1st floor has 2 mullioned and transomed
windows of 3 lights; attic has casement windows with iron
opening casements. Two C20 lateral stacks.
End has early brickwork with offset below timber-framed gable
with ogee bracing and brick infill, ashlar angle to right with
return raking buttress; small window high up to right projects
and has leaded glazing, gable has slanting window.
Right return has gabled wing to right of centre and right end
gable. Left end of ashlar with some brick; ground floor has
2-light casement and pegged cross casement both with timber
lintels and leaded glazing; 1st floor has 3 windows with
12-pane sashes.
Wing has much ashlar and brick patching, raised eaves and
diagonal buttresses; 2 windows to ground floor, one to 1st
floor, all with 12-pane sashes, attic has small-paned
casement; left return has blocked 1st floor round-headed light
with spandrels, and lateral stack; right return has large
brick section and eaves, 1st floor door to fire-escape with
rubbed brick flat arch, and lateral stack. Gabled right end
has signs of blocked openings and brick gable and angle
buttress; 1st floor door.
Rear elevation, south wing, of 2 storeys; 5-window range with
central 2-storey porch with chamfered angles and parapet; 3
offset buttresses.
Recessed entrance has steps up to recessed glazed and
fielded-panelled door. Windows have paired 18-pane horned
sashes, those to 1st floor with cornices and parapets, left
end window with inserted half-glazed door; window to right of
entrance has ex-situ gravestone of C14 or earlier below:
calvary cross fleury and worn inscription to Richard the
Merchant, found in 1746.
C20 range of brick with ashlar dressings. 2 storeys; gabled
centre with flanking 6- and 3-window ranges and wing to left
end. 3-light ovolo-mullioned-and-transomed windows; coped
gables. Centre has gabled buttresses and entrance with Tudor
head in architrave with label mould; flanking windows with
cornice above taken round base of canted oriel with vine and
grapes to base, 1:2:1-light window, flanking 3-light windows
and light above.
Range to right to front of old range; gabled centre has 1st
floor oriel. Range to left is symmetrical with 2 gabled
projections with oriels. Wing has gabled buttresses;
2:3:2-light windows and cusped panelling between floors;
7-window left return. Rear has hall wing with tall windows
with small-paned glazing and tall lateral stack; later
additions.
INTERIOR: old part has brick-vaulted cellars with ashlar
benches and shelves; C20 paired sashes to corridors and
staircase; ground floor room to wing has chamfered beams,
square panelling, corner fireplace with pilasters, frieze and
dentilled cornice; niche with shaped shelves and architrave;
attic with exposed trusses, north wing with curved principals.
C20 part has ex-situ C16 fireplace from panelled room, ashlar
with Tudor arch and lettering: GREGORY STONYNG to spandrels,
Delft tiles and cast iron fireback; late C20 alterations.
During the C18 the house was the home of Mrs Cobb and her
niece, friends of Dr Johnson, who often visited them.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London:
1974-: P.191-2; Mullins H: History of the Friary School:
Lichfield).
Listing NGR: SK1161509321
