Summary
C15 Merchants House re-fronted in the C18 and now the Dick Whittington Tavern (2024).
Reasons for Designation
100 Westgate Street, a C15 Merchants House re-fronted in the C18 and now the Dick Whittington Tavern (2024), is listed at Grade I, for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as an early example of a C15 timber framed merchants house;
* due to the survival of rare and nationally important examples of internal wall paintings;
* as a building that underwent C18 alterations, including a wholesale re-fronting, that provides evidence of the changing architectural fashions and internal needs of the period;
* due to the survival of high quality craftmanship from the C15 through to the C19.
Historic interest:
* as a notable example of a medieval merchant’s houses surviving along Westgate Street and a testament to the area’s prominence and trading activity during this period;
* for its association with Richard Whittington, Lord Manor of Staunton and member of the Whittington Family who owned the Manor of Pauntley in Gloucestershire.
Group value:
* alongside other highly graded early buildings, such as number 99- 101 and number 103 (Folk of Gloucester), Westgate Street which together create a notable group of merchant’s houses from this early period.
History
From the late C14, Gloucester’s trade industry, principally in corn and wine, enriched a small but influential group of merchants who monopolised official positions of the city and displayed their prosperity in houses located within the central parishes. A few notable examples of these medieval and post medieval merchant’s houses survive along Westgate Street as testament to the area’s trading activity and the prominence of these wealthy office holders throughout the late medieval and early modern periods. During this period the parish of St Nicholas, comprising of the lower parts of Westgate Street with the Island and the Quay, was a very populous and wealthy part of the City.
100 Westgate Street is currently (2024) a public house called ‘The Dick Whittington’. Historically, from at least 1379, the lands on which it is built were held by Llanthony Priory. At this time the street was called Raton Row and housed a row of tenements. The current timber- framed building was constructed in the late C15 as a merchant’s house and was known as St Nicholas House.
A scroll surviving from the Corporation of Gloucester detailing the ‘Rental of All the Houses in Gloucester, in 1455’ would suggest that at this time the property was occupied by Richard Whittington; a member of the family who owned the manor and estate at Pauntley between 1311 and 1546. It is likely that Richard Whittington built the timber-framed building, with dendrochronology confirming that both the front and rear ranges were constructed between 1484 to 1487; with the front range potentially slightly pre-dating the rear range.
Local legend reports that this was the Richard Whittington, Lord Major of London, who inspired the popular English folklore tale ‘Dick Whittington’. However, given that Dick Whittington died in March 1423 and is known to have been apprenticed in London from a young age, it is likely that the owner of 100 Westgate Street was Richard Whittington, Lord of the Manor of Staunton, another member of the Whittington Family.
By 1534 the house was let by the Priory to John Hawkins, a wine merchant. Subsequently it was let to John Taylor, who had a gatehouse built on land between the house and the Church of St Nicholas.
By 1704 the building is occupied by James Pitt and it is likely that his son, Richard Pitt, took on the property in 1725 and added the present red brick frontage. It is clear that the re-fronting also included an upgrade of the interior to suit C18 tastes and fashions, hiding the timber frame behind interior panelling and upgrading windows. At this time the gatehouse was also replaced with a gateway, which no longer survives. Wall paintings in the building dating from the late C17 or early C18 are reflective of its high-status use.
By 1867 it became a commercial premise for William Johnson, a cabinet maker and antiques dealer. Following this the building was occupied by the Merrylees Company; coal merchants that quickly expanded to become importers and seller of Revoline oil, engines, cylinders, machine spindles, oil, leathers and rubber among other products. Merrylees Company became Merrylees, Pugh and Co Ltd around 1902 and took on Mill furnishing works as well.
A 1951 advertisement for Merrylees, Pugh and Co Ltd refers to the fact that their offices at 100 Westgate Street once held the court of Elizabeth I, however no further evidence can be found to confirm this fact.
This period of change from domestic to commercial use is likely to be the cause for the changes to the internal layout and plan form seen today; with much of the internal structure of the earlier timber-framed building at ground and basement levels being removed to create the open spaces more suitable to commercial functions.
By the early1980’s St Nicholas house had been sold to a private owner and became one of the first buildings to be restored by the Gloucester Historic Building ltd. At this time the house was refurbished as a Public House and became the Dick Whittington. In 2023 a fire took place in an upstairs room causing damage to the panelling, fireplace and walls. It is currently closed for business (2024).
Details
C15 Merchants House re-fronted in the C18 and now the Dick Whittington Tavern (2024).
MATERIALS: timber-framed construction with south elevation re-fronted in red brick with stone dressings. Stacks are of red brick the roof is of slate. C20 rear extension of red brick.
PLAN: 100 Westgate Street is an L-shaped building with a rectangular front range facing onto Westgate Street and a long timber-framed wing behind.
EXTERIOR: the front range of 100 Westgate Street is of two storeys with attic, behind is a long timber-framed range of 5 bays. Beyond is a C20 red brick extension.
The front range is built of red brick with stone dressing in a Provincial Classical style. It is symmetrical and of five bays with slight projection to the central three bays. The classical orders are marked by an offset plinth, stone sill band at ground floor level (now cut away by later inserted windows) and sill band and crowning entablature with modillion cornice and pediment over the central projecting bays with modillion eaves. The outer bays have stone balustraded parapets with turned balusters and flanking piers with moulded caps, topped by large stone urns with swags carved onto bowls.
At ground floor a C19 timber shopfront has been inserted to the central bays front with reeded architraves and paterae carved corner blocks. The top lights of this arrangement include stained glass with the initials of the company Merrylees, Pugh and Co. Either side, in the setback bays, the original windows have been enlarged with C18 keystones raised within rubbed brick flat arches with C19 mullion frames with upper transoms.
First-floor windows are six over six sashes. The outer bays have rubbed brick arches with C18 keystones while the central projecting range has mostly stone frames with eared and shouldered architraves and raised three-facet keystones, other than the central window which has a swag with sculpted head.
The first bay of the east return is of red brick with stone plinth to sill band level, a single entrance two-panel entrance door with rectangular fan light and one single sash window at first-floor level.
Behind sits a timber-framed range running alongside the Church of St Nicholas. The first section is of 5 bays set on a coursed stone plinth with windows.
At ground floor level the first two bays are rendered timber-frames set on a solid stone plinth under a continuous bressumer that supports the first-floor projecting jetty. The first bay has two steps up to an C18 entrance doorway with a six-panel door with semi-circular fanlight with radiating glazing bars above. All windows on this section are C18 eight over eight sashes. The supporting posts between each bay are faced with slender carved colonnettes supporting knee braces under the first-floor jetty. The first panel of the third bay has no window and has exposed close studding to the lower section. The fourth bay projects slightly enclosing the supporting posts other than the ends of the knee braces. Below is a stepped access to the basement level. The final bay to the timber-framed section has a canted bay window with three C18 four over four sashes.
At first-floor level the timber-framed wing has an oriel with two eight over eight sash windows over the first bay and two eight over eight sash windows over the fourth bay. The canted bay window continues to first-floor level with four over four sash windows.
Beyond the timber-framed wing is a modern three storey red brick extension under two parallel pitched roofs with projecting stairwell to the east. All windows are three over three sash windows and the south elevation has a set of C20 French doors.
INTERIOR: on the ground floor the space is open through the entire five bays and most of the internal walls and partitions have been removed. A modern bar area has been constructed on the right with modern narrow ancillary spaces behind with some exposed timber-framing.
The ceiling of the front bay has chamfered cross beams and a dragon beam, providing evidence that the building was originally jettied to two sides. The ceiling shows exposed floor joists with empty mortice joints but no uprights. To the right a C20 timber and glass screen creates an access point from the side door down a staircase to the basement level.
In the second bay the side entrance way leads into a C21 glazed lobby. The lobby encloses a mid-C18 staircase in two flights with open string, curtail step, richly carved foliage tread-end brackets, barley sugar balusters and swept handrail.
The rear range has exposed timber-framing, timber panelling to one small section and a small panelled lobby providing access to the modern extension beyond. The principle ceiling beams are substantial with plain chamfers and stops. Some beams retain the remains of C16 plain red painting schemes, probably representing several schemes relating to an earlier layout. Earlier upright beams with open joints remain inside the later bay windows to the west, evidencing alterations to this wall. Beyond is the C20 extension with modern staircase and toilets providing access to both basement and upper floors.
The basement level is now a large open space with large chamfered beams running east west with plain stops. A modern bar is located on the left-hand wall with several narrow brick vaulted ancillary spaces behind. C20 toilets have been inserted to the south-east. Beyond is a historic barrel drop with late C19 two leaf vertical panelled doors with iron bars at the windows set into a later door frame. All windows are six pane casements with top opening lights. A central C20 door provides external access.
At first floor the front range is laid out with two rooms both with chimney stacks but no fireplaces and plain cornicing. The eastern room has had the ceilings lowered, resulting in them now cutting across the sash windows. A low boxed-in beam running north to south may suggest the room dimensions have been altered. This room has C18 timber panelling below dado. All doors are C20 two panel doors.
The front range is separated from the back range by the C18 staircase and a wide landing. Beyond is a run of two plain plastered rooms accessed from a long corridor. A small fragment of C17 wall painting survives in a blocked window. It depicts buildings or a townscape with pointed trees in the background and has been dated to the C17.
A large chimney breast intersects the rear range at its mid-point, beyond which there are two further rooms; the first has C18 dado panelling and an C18 fireplace. The second room has C18 dado panelling and a C19 fire surround. Some of the dado panelling has been removed to reveal a scheme of late C17 or early C18 historic wall paintings of fruit, flowers and foliage in the style of an imitation textile. This is considered a rare and important example. Beyond is a small kitchen and stairwell, part of the C20 rear extension. On the eastern side of the corridor two small additions house C20 bathrooms.
The front range is constructed of queen posts with principal purlins and curved wind brace. The main roof of the rear range is constructed of four queen posts with central struts and angled struts above the collars between principal purlins with curved wind braces,. All dated to the late C15 by dendrochronology.
