THE CASTLE

THE CASTLE, MUSEUM SQUARE

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1229170
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-1983
List Entry Name:: THE CASTLE
Statutory Address:: THE CASTLE, MUSEUM SQUARE

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Date:: 2001-06-24
Reference:: IOE01/04158/20
Rights:: © Mr John Giles. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1229170
Date first listed:: 31-Oct-1983
List Entry Name:: THE CASTLE
Statutory Address 1:: THE CASTLE, MUSEUM SQUARE

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

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

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:: THE CASTLE, MUSEUM SQUARE

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

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: Fenland (District Authority)
Parish:: Wisbech
National Grid Reference:: TF 46220 09565

Details

WISBECH MUSEUM SQUARE TF 4609 (West Side) 6/119 The Castle GV II*

Villa, built in 1816 by Joseph Medworth (b.1752, d.1827), reusing material from the mansion built by Secretary Thurloe in 1656 designed by Peter Mills (c.1600, d.1670) and demolished in 1815. Grey gault brick with reused stone dressings. Three storeys with basement, two projecting wings to east: shallow slated hipped roofs with two symmetrical stacks. East facade; main entrance approached by six stone steps with railings returning around basement forecourt. Double recessed eliptical brick arch to double, half-glazed doors with blind fanlight and interlacing glazing bars. Interlacing glazing bars to pseudo windows flanking entrance with stone cills. Storey above entrance possibly later - C19, rendered and originally with wooden balustrade. Matching wings have one first floor nine- paned hung sash window in double recessed segmental brick arch, and one sixteen-paned window. Two rainwater heads with reeded decoration (one similar at Rose and Crown). Garden facade of seven 'bays'. Stone details reused from original Castle. Rusticatd stone quoins at first floor, rendered ground floor. Moulded, and off set stone bands at first and second floor. Stone window cills and architraves; moulded stone doorcase with large carved stone brackes supporting flat balustraded canopy. Door, panelled and half-glazed. First floor balcony door half- glazed with fanlight similar to window heads. Seven second floor eight-paned hung sash windows in moulded wooden architraves. Six, first floor sixteen-paned hung sash windows with interlacing glazing bars at their heads. Two, recessed casement windows in segmental aches and three blind windows at ground floor. Interior. C14 or C15 glass depicting martyrdom of St. Edmund. Central hall flanked by two main rooms and boxed staircase with passages leading to small rooms in wings. Reused material from C17 Castle includes stone floor, four, panelled doors with shouldered and enriched architraves and three false doors; seven carved over-doors, and cartouches over main street entrance. Upper section of chimney piece in drawing room, and moulded ceiling cornice. Some reused, panelled doors in basement. The villa has been graded II* for its associations with Joseph Medworth, and indirectly with Peter Mills who it is believed designed the original C17 building of which so much material has survived in the present building. Colvin, pp286, 390, 1954. VCH Cambs, p.242. Pevsner, Buildings in England, p.502. NMR (C. Godfrey, Wisbech Collction), 1982. G. Annis, A History of Wisbech Castle, 1977. Wisbech Society Annual Report, 1960. Histories - Watson, 1827, Walker and Craddock, 1847, Gardiner, 1898. Prints and photographs, W. & F. Mus, c18 and C19.

Listing NGR: TF4626209567

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 48317
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Annis, G, A History of Wisbech Castle, (1977)
Colvin, H M , A Biographical Dictionary of English Architects 1600-1840, (1954), 286
Colvin, H M , A Biographical Dictionary of English Architects 1600-1840, (1954), 390
Gardiner, F J, History of Wisbech and Neighbourhood, (1898)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire, (1970), 502
Salzman, L F , The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, (1953), 242
Walker, N, Craddock, T , The History of Wisbech and the Fens, (1849)
Watson, W, An Historical Account of the Ancient Town and Port of Wisbech, (1827)
'Wisbech Society Annual Report' in Wisbech Society Annual Report, (1960)

Legal

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