147 High Street, Newport

Summary

147 High Street, Newport, is a late-C18 or early-C19 house, now (2024) offices.

Reasons for Designation

147 High Street, Newport, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:  
 
Architectural interest:

* as a late-C18 or early-C19 building which contributes to the character of an architecturally varied historic streetscape. 
 
Historic interest: 
 
* as part of the urban development of Newport’s historic core.  
 
Group value: 
 
* the building is in close proximity to a large number of listed buildings and forms part of a strong historic grouping.

History

Newport’s first charter was granted by Richard de Redvers, fourth Earl of Devon in the late C12 and this is generally regarded as marking its foundation. The settlement was laid out on the low-lying ground along the western bank of the River Medina using a grid-style plan. Recent topographic analysis suggests that Newport may have developed around an existing informal trading settlement located at the head of Medina estuary, in the vicinity of Sea and Quay Street (Alexander, 2021). The High Street is one of five east-west running streets within the grid layout. High Street and Pyle Street extend the full length of the grid, divided by a market square, and form the planned core of Newport, with other shorter parallel streets to the south (South Street) and north (Lugley and Crocker Street). They were all largely in place by the mid-C13. 

In the C14, Isle of Wight was frequently subject to raids by French forces during long-running conflicts between England and France. According to historical documents, during one of the raids in 1377 Newport was severely damaged by fire and much of the population fled to Carisbrooke Castle. It appears that Newport was functioning again a few years later. During this century, records indicate that the population of Newport did decrease, most likely due to several wider economic factors, and did not significantly increase until the mid-C17. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1608 under a new charter granted by James I. Newport did not significantly expand beyond its medieval limits until around the late C18. By the mid-C19 there had been a more significant expansion of the town, including the development of its suburbs, which continued into the C20. 

The frontage of 147 High Street dates from the late C18 or early C19. The Ordnance Survey map published in 1864 shows the building with much the same plan as today, with a narrow rear extension to the north-west and north-east. The 1864 map suggests that at that time the western addition comprised workshops or other offices. An historic photograph of 1943-1944 shows the building in office use, with the name ‘St Thomas’s Chambers’ above the door, as now. From about 1894 to 1905 the building was occupied by Bramston School for Girls. It is now (2024) in office use.

Details

Late-C18 or early-C19 house, now offices.

MATERIALS: the principal, south-facing elevation is in chequered brick, laid in Flemish bond of red brick with grey vitrified headers. The pitched roof is covered with slate, and there are brick stacks.

PLAN: the building is rectangular on plan, with narrow rear extensions to west and east.
EXTERIOR: the principal elevation is three storeys high and five bays wide. There are stucco storey bands; six pattress plates have been installed beneath the lower of these. The two outer bays break forward slightly. The window openings have flat red-brick arches; the ground- and first-floor openings contain replacement horned single-pane sash frames but the three-over-six sash frames to the second-floor windows may be original. The central entrance is set in a doorcase flanked by Tuscan half-columns, below a frieze and cornice, the frieze inscribed with the name ‘St Thomas’s Chambers’. The six-panelled door is set below an ornamental fanlight within an arched recess with panelled reveals. There is a timber eaves board. The east elevation is rendered to second-floor level, and partially slate-hung above.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

309572

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Websites
Historic England: England's Places: photos of 147 High Street in 1943/4 (card ref no 6112_181), accessed 6 February 2024 from https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/englands-places/card/216416?bc=0%7c5%7c8%7c9&i=16&place=Newport%2c+Isle+of+Wight+(Conservation+Area)&searchtype=englandsplaces&terms=newport&wm=1&g=6073

Other
Isle of Wight Council, Newport Conservation Area Appraisal (2007)
Alexander, Magnus, Newport, Isle of Wight, High Street Heritage Action Zone: Topographic Analysis of the Late Medieval Town, Historic England Research Report 49/2021, (November 2021)

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