Former Exchequer Building, Now University Library

FORMER EXCHEQUER BUILDING, NOW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, PALACE GREEN

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1160838
Date first listed:
10-Mar-1988
List Entry Name:
Former Exchequer Building, Now University Library
Statutory Address:
FORMER EXCHEQUER BUILDING, NOW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, PALACE GREEN
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Location

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Date:
2001-02-24
Reference:
IOE01/03607/04
Rights:
© Mr Bob Cottrell. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1160838
Date first listed:
10-Mar-1988
List Entry Name:
Former Exchequer Building, Now University Library
Statutory Address 1:
FORMER EXCHEQUER BUILDING, NOW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, PALACE GREEN

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
FORMER EXCHEQUER BUILDING, NOW UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, PALACE GREEN

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
County Durham (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
City of Durham
National Grid Reference:
NZ 27344 42299

Details

NZ 2742 SW
14/352

DURHAM AND FRAMWELLGATE,
PALACE GREEN (West side),
Former Exchequer Building, now university library

GV I

Chancery and exchequer courts, now library. Between 1438 and 1457 for Bishop
Neville. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings; stone-flagged roof.
3 storeys, 2 bays. Steps down to studded, ledged boarded door at right of
first bay in 2-centred-arched surround with fragments of roll moulding on
lower course, renewed on course above, and chamfer above that. Ground-floor
windows at left and at right have 3 Tudor-headed lights and label moulds.
First-floor windows have 3 round-headed stepped lights; second floor has 3
windows with 2 round-headed lights, all under dripmoulds and with chamfered
surrounds. Neville arms (ears removed from horse's head) between upper windows
under canopy on angel bracket. Eaves string; parapet, formerly battlemented,
has roll-moulded coping.

Interior: central passage to 12-ribbed vault; newel stair to right of this;
a second newel survives in part at rear of building, heavily weathered. C17
open-well stair has widely-spaced barley-sugar twist balusters, closed string
and high grip handrail; partly renewed. Many stop-chamfered flat Tudor-
arched door surrounds, including those to Chancery Court and Exchequer Court,
now one room. Masons' mark (W with central projecting cross) on these and
on a third ground-floor door. Square-headed door at rear has stopped chamfer
with narrower chamfer below. Original stop-chamfered beams and ceilings over
both floors, the beams with 3 hollow chamfers.


Listing NGR: NZ2734442299

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
110408
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Former Exchequer Building, Now University Library

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 11-Jun-2026 at 14:41:51.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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