High House

47 AND 48, GREENGATE HOUSE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1212192
Date first listed:
16-Jan-1951
List Entry Name:
High House
Statutory Address:
47 AND 48, GREENGATE HOUSE
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Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2005-04-24
Reference:
IOE01/14303/09
Rights:
© Mr Terence Moors. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1212192
Date first listed:
16-Jan-1951
List Entry Name:
High House
Statutory Address 1:
47 AND 48, GREENGATE HOUSE
Statutory Address 2:
HIGH HOUSE, 49, GREENGATE STREET

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:
47 AND 48, GREENGATE HOUSE
Statutory Address:
HIGH HOUSE, 49, GREENGATE STREET

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

County:
Staffordshire
District:
Stafford (District Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
SJ 92194 23198

Details

SJ9223SW
590-1/10/47
16/01/51


STAFFORD
GREENGATE STREET
(West side)
Nos.47, 48 AND 49
High House (No.49)


GV
II*


House, now museum and shops. 1595, for John Dorrington;
extensively restored 1976-86 by FWB Charles.
MATERIALS: timber-frame; tile roof with stone and brick stack.
PLAN: E-plan.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with attic; symmetrical 5-window range;
each upper floor is jettied on console brackets. Ground floor
has two C20 shopfronts on ashlar plinth; central porch is
reinstated, on ashlar plinth and with open front and side
openings. Upper floors have ovolo-mullioned and transomed
windows, mostly reinstated; all have leaded glazing. 1st floor
has central oriel with 2+2-light bowed window with king
mullion and reinstated balustrade with square balusters,
flanking 3-light windows and end 2+1+2-light windows with king
mullions; 2nd floor has central 2+1+2-light window, flanking
2-light windows and end 1+2+1-light canted oriels; attic has
four 5-light windows with 3 upper lights under gables.
Timber-framing has mostly square panels with decorative ogee
braces, cusping etc. Right return has 2 canted oriels flanking
2-light window to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; 3 gabled windows
to attic. Rear has 2 gabled wings, that to left with
asymmetrical gable, flanking gabled stair wing.
INTERIOR: 2 ashlar fireplaces to ground floor with Tudor
arches and damaged friezes over; stop-chamfered beams;
open-well stair has turned balusters, stop-chamfered square
newels with finials and pendants and moulded handrails. 1st
floor landing has mid C18 wallpaper in Gothick style; corridor
has rectangular flush panelling repainted in original style;
ovolo-moulded beams and timber-framed partition walls; 2
ashlar fireplaces; rear room has surviving pieces of mid C18
wallpaper; room to left end has C20 wallpaper reproducing
design of pieces discovered 2nd floor similar. Attic has 2
roof trusses with timber-framed infill flanking stone stack.
HISTORY: the house is believed to be the largest timber-framed
town house in England; Charles I and Prince Rupert stayed here
in 1642; Izaak Walton, 1593-1683, writer, lived here for many
years.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire:
London: 1974-: 245; Shell Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire:
London: 1978-: 152; Stafford Borough Council: Ancient High
House: Tour: 1986-; Lambert B: The Preservation of the Ancient
High House: Stafford: 1986-).


Listing NGR: SJ9219923201

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
383989
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Lambert, B, The Preservation of the Ancient High House, (1986)
Lambert, B, The Preservation of the Ancient High House, (1986)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Staffordshire, (1974), 245
Thorold, H, Shell County Guides in Staffordshire, (1978), 152

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 High House

Map

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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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