Summary
Shop and apartments, formerly a C15 front range and C14 cruck-framed hall to rear and two C19 ranges beyond.
Reasons for Designation
81 and 82 Barton Street and 1 to 3 Mason’s Court in Tewkesbury, formerly a C15/C16 front range and C14 cruck-framed hall to rear, is listed at Grade II* for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a surviving example of a C14 cruck-framed hall, possibly the earliest upstanding domestic building in Tewkesbury.
* as a good example of a C15 or early C16 timber-framed range.
* for the survival of early historic features such as smoke blackened timbers, smoke vent and decorative timber-framing.
* as an example of a multi-purpose site with the remains of buildings from the C14, C15 and C19 that provides a wider understanding of the plots changing use and form over time.
Historic interest:
* as a notable example of the early buildings that survive along Barton Street, including an early example of a C14 cruck framed hall.
History
It has been suggested that the plots along Barton Street in Tewkesbury had been laid out by the C12, and it is therefore likely that there were buildings on the plot of 81 and 82 Barton Street from this early date. The plot arrangements in Tewkesbury are complex as a result of their medieval origin as burgage plots that have been sub-divided and amalgamated over time. The plot now known as 81 and 82 Barton Street and 1 to 3 Mason’s Court is no exception. The original burgage plot would have run from Barton Street to Swilgate Street, however the lower end was severed in 1805 to allow construction of a Baptist Chapel at its southern end. The remaining plot has seen many building phases and is now divided into multiple independent properties.
Today (2024) there are five properties on the plot: 81 and 82 Barton Street and 1 to 3 Mason’s Court. They are located on the south side of Barton Street and include a passageway known as Mason’s Court which runs under the western part of the front range providing access to the central and rear ranges. These ranges form a linear arrangement running from north to south and consist of three parts; a front range, facing Barton Street to the north, which dates from the latter half of the C15 or early C16, a lateral early C14 cruck-framed hall making up the central range to the south and then two C19 rear ranges, one flat-roofed to the south-east and one gabled range to the south-west.
The first depiction of the plot is on a map in William Dyde’s book entitled ‘The History and Antiquities of Tewkesbury’ (published in 1798). However, the buildings are shown very schematically and therefore are not considered a reliable depiction of size or form.
Fabric analysis and dendrochronology identify the central range as a C14 cruck framed hall, and the earliest surviving structure on the site; possibly the earliest, upstanding domestic building in Tewkesbury. It is likely to have started life as a cruck framed open hall with open hearth at its northern end; as evidenced by smoke blackening on the roof timbers, a smoke vent in the north gable and decoration on the middle frame. The central range overlaps the adjacent plot of 78 to 80 Barton Street, which prompts questions over whether the earliest building on the site may have once been larger and incorporated both the plots of 81 and 82 Barton Street and 78 to 80 Barton Street. However, current evidence cannot confirm this.
Dendrochronology has dated the felled timbers of the central range to probably between 1299 and 1304. Its construction comprises of five frames: three closed, cruck-framed frames and two open, box-framed frames. Signs of weathering on the southernmost and northernmost frames indicate that this probably represents the full extent of the original structure. Stanley Jones, a vernacular architecture expert who surveyed the property in the 1960s and 1970s, suggests that a first-floor solar or high-status room could have been located at the southern end where the two bays appear to always have been floored, however this cannot be verified by surviving fabric today. He also mentions the survival of a ground-floor trefoil-headed window in the west wall. This feature may remain in-situ but is no longer visible. however this feature is no longer visible but may still be in-situ. It is likely that the hall’s original owners were of high status and wealthy, however little is known about who built it or inhabited it until the late C18.
Evidence suggests that the central range underwent a substantial phase of upgrading and alteration in the C17, as did many other medieval houses at this time. The open hall was subdivided by a first floor and chimney stacks were inserted. It seems likely that it was during this period that the upper floors of the central range and the front range were structurally connected with at least one chimneystack serving both buildings. By the C20 the central range was accessed from the passageway and through the shop in the front range and the first floor was sub-divided for residential use. The main staircase was located at its north end and provided access to all floors of the front and central range. A secondary stair was located in the eastern room and connected the ground and first floors.
The front range that now faces Barton Street is stylistically dated to the late C15 or early C16 and seems to have originally been structurally separate from the earlier central range. The ground floor is much altered; the street elevation has been rebuilt in brick and the sides would have originally been timber-framed but only the posts and wall plates survive, providing evidence that the first floor was originally open to the roof. More timber framing survives to the rear. There is not enough surviving evidence to understand the earliest internal layout of this range, however the first floor was certainly sub-divided by a partition along the central truss. There is tentative evidence, in the form of several large empty peg holes on the timbers of the rear wall, that this range may have continued at least one bay further to the west. Jones thought the front range was originally jettied at first-floor level, but it is unclear what his evidence for this was. If it was, it is likely it was underbuilt during the C18 or C19 century. A section of roof structure survives linking the front range to the central range that appears to be later than the central range but earlier than the rest of front range, possibly representing the remains of an earlier front range.
Census returns confirm that by 1836 the front range had been sub-divided to create two shops which were numbered separately as 81 and 82 Barton Street. It is likely that the domestic accommodation above was also divided as part of this sub-division. Fabric analysis suggests that the attic of the front range was adapted for use as domestic accommodation during the early C19 when wind-braces were removed and the dormer windows to the street inserted. The west elevation was also rebuilt during this period.
During the first half of the C20 the front range remained sub-divided as two functionally independent properties, although sometimes under single ownership. The front elevation had individual shopfronts and the windows at first floor were of differing heights. The 1913 Valuation required by the 1910 Finance Act provides descriptions of all five properties on the plot including their internal layouts. It states that number 81 comprised of ‘a small shop and living room at ground-floor and two rooms at first-floor; number 82 comprised of a narrow shop at ground-floor, sitting room with kitchen to first-floor and two rooms to the second-floor’. Photographs show that by 1957 the fascia’s on the front elevation had been aligned but the shopfronts themselves remained different, with 81 having a taller glazed section. The front range was finally combined to be one commercial unit in 1961 by the radio-shop proprietor J T Wall. At this time the majority of the central range was given over to office use, with two flat-roofed dormers added to its west slope.
Mason’s Court now refers the dwellings in the first and second floor of 81 and 82 Barton Street and those created by the sub-division of the central and rear ranges, accessed by the passageway to the west. The 1840 Census confirms the existence of dwellings behind the front range but refers to the passageway as ‘Green’s Alley’. It was common in Tewkesbury that alleys and courts were named after the person who lived in the house at the front of the plot until they were fixed by the Committee of the Commissioners of Tewkesbury Streets in 1848. Before which their names changed frequently. The name Mason’s Court is derived from the occupation of the Mason family, who owned the plot in the latter half of the C18. Fabric analysis would suggest that the passageway was originally narrower than that seen today (2024) and was likely widened at some time in the C19.
The three rear extensions were likely built during the mid to late C19 and are described in sales particulars from 1893 as ‘a dwelling to the rear’ which was probably situated to the south of the central range and ‘a cottage with stables behind’ which was likely situated at the bottom of Mason’s Court. These ranges are shown on the 1883 Ordnance Survey’s Town Plan of Tewkesbury (published in 1885). The 1913 Valuation describes one of these dwellings as having a kitchen, back kitchen and three rooms to the first floor. It is also noted that ‘a stable with lean-to cart shelter is located to the rear and that a house to the rear has been recently demolished’. This presumably refers to the house and stable mentioned in the 1893 sales particulars. They were likely built in three phases, the first being a gabled two-storey cottage at the south-west of the central range with a covered passage at ground-floor level, followed by a single-storey range to the east, originally with pitched roof, and a third range built to the south-west, details of which are scarce as it was replaced in the 1970s. The internal passageway since seems to have been subsumed into the property. In 1971 the earlier south-west rear range was replaced by a two-storey cottage which now forms part of 1 Mason’s Court and the pitched roof of the south-east rear range was replaced with a flat roof.
In the 1970s and 80s planning permissions were granted for alterations to the whole complex which resulted in the formalisation of five separate properties across the plot. Much of this work related to the creation of a modern, commercial premises for a butcher’s shop, which necessitated alterations in the front range and the northern part of the central range. In 1971 planning permission was granted for alterations including an extension but the biggest change to the building came in early 1978 when the property became David Dudley’s butchers’ shop. A new shopfront was installed, and the windows were altered to match, and the internal layout adapted for use as a butcher’s shop. These works saw the front range opened to its full width, leaving only a stub-wall and two posts as remnants of the former division. Major internal alterations also took place, including changes to the internal arrangements of the upper floors, the regularisation of the front windows and the removal of the three chimneystacks to roof level. It is also understood that it was during this time that the ground-floor use incorporated parts of the ground floor of the central range.
Alterations were made to the upper floors of the front range to convert them into two independent apartments numbered 3a and 3b Mason’s Court, with a new metal external staircase from Mason’s Court providing access to first-floor level and a new internal staircase providing access to the second-floor apartment. The upper floors of the central range were sub-divided to create offices, known as 2 Mason’s Court, with all earlier partitions and staircases removed. Parts of the ground and first floor were incorporated into the rear ranges to create 1 Mason’s Court. However, it should be noted that the layout of the apartments in 81-82 Barton Street seen today (2024) differ from that permitted at this time and it is not known when the current configurations were permitted. At some point between 2009 and 2015 the shop front was altered to accommodate signage for a new butcher and in 2021 two rear windows in 1 Mason’s Court were replaced with timber sash windows.
The building was first added to the statutory list of building of historic or architectural interest (now the National Heritage List for England) in 1952. In 1994 it was upgraded from Grade II to Grade II*.
Details
Shop and apartments, formerly a C15 front range and C14 cruck-framed hall to rear and two C19 ranges beyond.
MATERIALS: painted English bond brickwork to the front elevation, brick and timber-frame with painted brick or plaster panels behind with tiled roof and brick stacks and a modern extension of modern brick, uPVC cladding and tile.
PLAN: front range, facing Barton Street, is of single-depth with lateral ranges behind comprising of a large former hall and single-depth ranges beyond.
EXTERIOR: the front range, facing Barton Street, is two bays over two storeys with attic behind a shallow brick parapet. It has a steeply pitched roof with small, raised extension to the east. A passageway runs under the western part of the front range and provides access to the central and rear ranges. At ground floor a modern C21 shopfront with central doorway spans the entire width. The first floor has two eight-by-eight sash windows under flat arches and several metal hanging brackets of varying designs, including a decorative cross bracket in the centre. The attic storey has two gabled two-light casement dormers. The passageway is timber-framed with brick nogging and oversailing timber-framed construction above.
The west elevation of the central range is visible from the passageway. The first four bays are all of two storeys with attic and has two dormers and a pitched roof with two modern roof lights. This elevation is interrupted by an external staircase that provides access to the accommodation at first floor and possibly hides the C14 window head with tracery witnessed by Stanley. At ground floor is a single door opening with modern door and several modern vents. Beyond is the two-bay C19 range which is of two storeys with an eight-by-eight timber sash window at ground floor. At first-floor level is a corrugated plastic roof structure projecting over the passageway. To the southern end of the passageway is a further modern extension over two storeys that breaks forward. At ground floor is an entrance door and modern window above, which has uPVC cladding.
The rear elevation is of two builds, to the south-west is a range of two storeys with pitched roof with brick at ground floor and uPVC clad at first floor and casement windows at each floor, its east elevation is similar but abuts the brick C19 range which includes a large red brick chimney stack. To the south-east is a painted brick single-storey range with a flat roof and French doors and two-light casement window to the rear. Also visible is the external gable of the central-range which is timber brick at first floor with three-light casement window and horizontal timber clad above with off-centre timber door.
INTERIOR: at ground floor 81 and 82 Barton Street are open to the width of the building as one large commercial space with modern butcher counter to the rear. The rear wall of 81 and 82 has mostly been removed to create access to the central range behind. Only the upstands of the original timber-framing survive. The first and second bay of the central range is subdivided into two rooms and no historic fabric is visible. The third and fourth bay are open to the full width with a single doorway to the west providing access onto Mason’s Court. The bays further south are part of 1 Mason’s Court.
The first and second floor of 81-82 Barton Street are independent apartments named 3a and 3b Mason’s Court. Both are accessed from an external staircase to the east.
3a Mason’s Court is located in the front range and spans both 81 and 82 Barton Street at first-floor level. The space is divided into bathroom and kitchen in the western bay and living room and bedroom in the eastern bay. All spaces include heavily painted timber-framing, including jowl posts, splayed heads and empty mortices for stud walls.
3b Mason’s Court is located on the second floor of the front range, also spanning both 81 and 82 Barton Street but also the first bay of the central range. This property is accessed from an internal staircase in the western bay of the first floor which lands in a small lobby providing access to one room either side. The room to the west has an exposed timber truss and large purlin as well as a dormer window. The room to the east has further timber framing and roof structure exposed. This room has been extended to the south to meet the central range and part of the northern cruck is exposed. The kitchen and bathrooms are located parallel to each other in the first bay of the central range with a single roof light to each.
Throughout 3a and 3b Mason's Court timber-framing and roof structure are visible with tie beams with scribed carpenter marks and scotching marks.
2 Mason’s Court is located in part of the first and part of the second (attic) floor of the central range. It is accessed at first-floor level off the external staircase and has been sub-divided for office use. This range is constructed of five timber-frames creating four bays but only the first two bays form part of 2 Mason’s Court at first-floor level, the remaining bays are now part of 1 Mason’s Court. The first bay is now located in the covered landing of the external staircase and a small kitchenette to the west. Parts of the first cruck truss are visible. The second bay has been divided into three rooms with modern partitions. The lower ends of the second truss are visible in each room. An internal staircase leads up to the second floor (attic) which is divided on the line of the roof frames. The apex of the first, second and fifth frames are visible from the roof space. The apexes of the third and fourth frames are visible from the second floor. The range terminates in the gable wall with small doorway opening in the external elevation to the rear.
1 Mason’s Court occupies the southern two bays of the central range at first-floor level and the two rear ranges to the south. No internal inspection of this property was made, but it is known that access is provided by a doorway at the southern end of the passageway in Mason’s Court. An internal passageway provides access to the south-western range, the south-eastern range, and the southern range, all of which provide a single room each. Within the south-eastern range part of the external ground floor cruck truss from the central range is visible. This provides evidence that the central range had a full cruck. The south-western and eastern ranges have back-to-back fireplaces in the central dividing wall. A staircase is located in the southernmost range. At first floor the third and fourth bays of the central range are divided into two rooms and the cruck frames are visible. The south-western range is two storey and the original room with fireplace has been divided into corridor and room by a partition. The rear range provides one room and staircase.
The cellar below the front range is accessed via steps from Mason’s Court and enters two rooms of roughly equal size. All walls have been lined with concrete other than the rear wall which is coursed stone.
