Court House

Details

PAINSWICK HALE LANE SO 8609/8709 (west side) 7/121 Court House (formerly 21.10.55 listed under St Mary's Street) GV I Large detached house. Rebuilt 1604 for Thomas Gardener, but probably incorpo- rating elements of C16 layout; a large C20 extension at the north end. Large squared dressed limestone blocks, stone slate roofs. The entrance front suggests a late hall house, with two-storey porch and projecting wings, but the porch entry not faces a large spiral stair on the far elevation. To the left, well set back a lofty block containing the Court Room. Front is two storeys and attics, gabled wings either end of recessed centre, 2-storey porch to right. Each gable has 2 over 3 over 3-light, centre is 2 over 2-light, all hollow-mould stone mullioned casements with rectangular leading, set to continuous moulded string at ground floor, and to stopped drops above. In left return a canted wall with single-lights to staircase. Porch has a 2-light above a fine broad studded panelled door in moulded surround to internal doorway. Datestone 1604. Left is a gable stack, them 3 diagonal stacks at ridge left, and 4 diagonal stacks beyond ridge, right. Gables have saddle-back copings. Return to left has centre gable with 2-light casement over two 3-light and two 3-light to a string and an oculus, over two 2-light plain chamfer-mullion casements with no leading, flanking a good C17 door with fillets and studs. Then a 3-storey return wing with a 3-light casement to stopped hood over a large 4-light with transom, and at ground floor round arch over a blocked opening with an inserted door in a chamfered surround. To left a diagonal buttress with two offsets; two plain buttresses with offsets also on wall to south front of main building. Attached to the plain wall of the wing is a single storey unit at right angles with vents at the ridge, and a very lofty stack; an arched throughway adjoins the house, and contains a 3 offset buttress. The back is 4-gabled, that to left broughtforward, the next one is haunched, and that to the right, to the Court Room, is brought forward again, plus a canted two-storey bay. Through the fall in ground levels, the right half of the building has two storeys, attics, and basement or lower ground floor. Two, 3, or 4-light hollow mould casements; the canted bay to right contains larger 4-light transomed casement at first floor, and terminates in battlements. Continuous moulded string above ground floor to original block. Two small single lights to stair in centre section, to left of stone steps to quarter landing to a door under flat cambered head in chamfered surround. A 2-light hipped dormer set in by the quadruple stack. The 1938 wing, to left, is in rubble with dressed quoins, but generally in conforming style. Interior: the court room has large C16 stone fireplace and overmantel with figures, complete C17 panelling including fluted Ionic pilasters, deco- rative H-hinges to some doors, wide plank floor; adjoining all-panelled room also has C16 fireplace and deep chamfered beams. The central 'hall' has a good flat 4-centre stone fireplace, painted panelling; opposite porch a generous oak spiral stair through two floors, and on opposite side, front, a stone spiral through 2 floors in the canted corner. The Dining Room, probably former kitchen has very wide plain chamfered bressummer fire, a Jacobean cupboard door with ventilator over two deep chamfered beams. Small corner room (south east) has bolection mould fireplace. King Charles' bedroom is fully C17 panelled, with moulded stone fireplace, wide plank door, two chamfered beams. Above porch is a peaked head wood door frame and an early door in two planks and battons. An upper wall, corresponding to possible screens passage has some timber framing. Roof, where seen, has heavy principals and mostly the C17 structure. Bedroom in south-west corner has painted panelling, good chamfered beam, moulded flat 4-centre fireplace. Under the Court Room the cellar has transverse beams propped on slender cast-iron columns: this area formally approached from east through now blocked opening. The building is said to have stood originally between a Manor House and the Church; known since 1680, as 'Court House', also in 1689 here was appointed a 'Conventicle or Meeting House .....' this consti- tuting the first Dissenters' Chapel in Painswick. The added portion of 1938 was achieved with sensitivity so as not to spoil the overall aesthetic and historical harmony. (St Claire Baddeley, History of Painswick, rep 1980).

Listing NGR: SO8667209562

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

133303

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
St Claire Baddeley, W, History of Painswick, (1929)

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.