Cathedral School
CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, THE CLOSE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1251561
- Date first listed:
- 28-Feb-1952
- List Entry Name:
- Cathedral School
- Statutory Address:
- CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, THE CLOSE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2003-04-18
- Reference:
- IOE01/09284/21
- Rights:
- © Mr Peter Read. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1251561
- Date first listed:
- 28-Feb-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 12-Oct-1972
- List Entry Name:
- Cathedral School
- Statutory Address 1:
- CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, THE CLOSE
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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, THE CLOSE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Salisbury
- National Grid Reference:
- SU 14385 29398
Details
THE CLOSE 1. 1594 Cathedral School (formerly listed as Bishop's Palace) SU 1429 SW 5/58 28.2.52. I GV 2. Very fine picturesque complex, consisting in part of Bishop Beauchamp's and his successors circa 1460-1500 and in part Bishop Seth Ward's of 1670-4 with late C18 and Cl9 alterations. Irregular building of flint and stone and ashlar, some crenellation. Old tile roofs. The north and entrance front is mainly of the middle C15, with the original Palace buildings on the West side, then dating from early Cl3, with the Great Hall on the 1st floor and running north and south. This room later altered to a drawing room in C18, with a large Palladian window at each end and in the middle of the west side. The middle portion of the building contains the former dining hall, later entrance hall with chapel above; and to the east the square entrance Tower and later Great hall behind it, probably built between 1450-80. On the south side considerable additions of a plain character were made in the late C18, but there is also work of the C17 and early C18. Interior: an important undercroft, 6 bays with 2 short round piers carrying circular abaci and heavy single chamfered arches and ribs. The drawing room replacing the Great Hall dates from the time of Bishop Sherlock circa 1740. Stucco garlanded frieze with heads, coved ceiling, centre panel decorated with eagle. The Venetian windows of this room have Corinthian columns. The chapel C15 (buttress visible on north front) has straight headed windows, moulded beams to ceiling. Jacobean stalls and communion rails with flat open work balusters, and screen. Grand staircase installed by Seth Ward rising in 2 flights and returning one repeated for 2nd floor. Turned balusters, solid string.
The building forma unique group with the Cathedral.
All the listed buildings in the Close form an outstanding group.
Listing NGR: SU1440729403
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 318958
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 18:06:16.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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