The Old Cloth Hall
The Old Cloth Hall, North Street, Guildford, GU1 4AW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1189730
- Date first listed:
- 01-May-1953
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Cloth Hall
- Statutory Address:
- The Old Cloth Hall, North Street, Guildford, GU1 4AW
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1189730
- Date first listed:
- 01-May-1953
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 15-Mar-1988
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Cloth Hall
- Statutory Address 1:
- The Old Cloth Hall, North Street, Guildford, GU1 4AW
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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- The Old Cloth Hall, North Street, Guildford, GU1 4AW
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Surrey
- District:
- Guildford (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SU 99820 49596
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 22 August 2022 to amend the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards
SU 99 49NE
5/164
GUILDFORD
NORTH STREET (South Side)
The Old Cloth Hall
(Formerly listed as The Old Cloth Hall (Laura Ashley), previously listed as Premises occupied by Surrey Probation and After Care Service)
1/5/53
GV
II
Cloth hall, now shop. Built 1629 by Archbishop Abbot and extended in late C19
to the street end. Red-brown brick with orange-red brick on the extensions and plain tiled roofs. Rectangular plan at right angles to the street with tower extension to the street (north) end. Two and a half storeys to old range, with taller three stage tower facing the street.
Tower: stacks to front and with parapet around top; octagonal corner turrets under stone domes and finials. Buttressed on ground and first stages with string courses above. Curved bay rising through first and second stage on stone, moulded corbel support with stone-quoining and stone-dressed, mullioned and transomed casement fenestration. Three-light leaded attic casement above. One three-light leaded casement window to ground floor left, one to right flanking four-centre arched stone door surround with tall plinth moulding.
Older, return range to right facing Jeffries passage with irregular leaded casement fenestration, the majority C19. Chamfered-surround slit breathers along the first floor with three windows in, later, upper floor above. Wall continues to right along Jeffries passage at approx 2 metres height with brick-on-edge coping.
Rear:- gable and apex stack with gargoyles to angles.
Left hand return front (east side): stone-dressed mullioned and transomed casement fenestration in irregular arrangement. Door to left with chamfered stone surround and label moulding over.
The Cloth hall was built on the site of the stables of George Abbot's Hospital of the Blessed Trinity. Abbot intended it to be a manufactory to revive the woollen cloth industry in Guildford and endowed it with £100 p.a. In 1656 it was converted to house paupers and in 1856 it was used for the foundation of George Abbot's School.
Listing NGR: SU9982049601
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 289029
- 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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 07:10:26.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.