Summary
Remains of a medieval building in the centre of Shrewsbury dating from the C13 believed to have been a merchant's house.
Reasons for Designation
The C13 remains of Bennett's Hall, Shrewsbury, believed to have been a merchant's house, are recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest: a relatively rare survival of a medieval town house, the remains of which reveal its status and plan-form, and display good quality architectural detailing and use of materials;
Historic interest: the remains give important information on the history and development of domestic architecture and town planning in the medieval period, and give an interesting insight into the lifestyle of a wealthy citizen of Shrewsbury at that time;
Group value: it forms part of a group of important medieval (remains of) town buildings in the centre of Shrewsbury.
History
The remains, partially incorporated in 2-3 Pride Hill (not included in the listing) are identified as those of Bennett's Hall, a C13 building with remains also present in the courtyard to its rear, which is believed to have been a medieval merchant's house.
Pride Hill formed part of the medieval town's commercial core, and has been known to local historians and antiquarians from the early C19. There is no evidence available on the development of Bennett's Hall between the late C14 and c1600. The building was partially demolished in the late C16 to early C17 - cottages were built within its shell and the frontage to Pride Hill was rebuilt.
The earliest recorded observation of the site dates from 1808 and is a description by Hugh Owen of the remains of the building later identified as Bennett's Hall. In 1821 John Chessell Buckler sketched the remains of the building on a visit to Shrewsbury. In the mid C19 the remains were identified as being that of Bennett's Hall, which was mentioned in a deed of 1378 in the Cartulary of Haughmond Abbey. Before the end of the C19 the remains became known for a while as the 'Old Mint' as it was mistakenly identified as the site of Charles the First's royal mint.
The first formal archaeological recordings, undertaken by the then Ministry of Works and the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, took place prior to the redevelopment of the site in 1958 (recorded in 1963). In 1985-6 and 1987-8 the site of Bennett's Hall was investigated again and excavated in advance of development (published in 1993). The standing remains were fully recorded. The excavation, covering an area of just under 100sqm immediately to the rear of nos. 1 and 2-3 Pride Hill, produced limited finds with few datable artefacts. These included a small pottery assemblage containing medieval and post-medieval fabric types, 55 medieval decorative ceramic floor tiles (both fragments and complete ones), 45 fragments of stone roof tile, 311 fragments or complete ceramic roof tiles, a Grinshill stone mortar, several iron objects including strips, a number of nails, shears and a key.
Details
The remains of a two storey medieval town house measuring approximately 25m by 10.8m, identified as Bennett's Hall dating from the C13, now partially incorporated in 2-3 Pride Hill. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that the C20 and C21 internal and external fabric of 2-3 Pride Hill are not of special architectural or historic interest.
The standing remains of Bennett's Hall are constructed in coursed and squared sandstone rubble and consist of a single transverse length of internal wall with a small section of return walling surviving for two storeys. The upper section of the wall comprises archways each side of a central fireplace. The fireplace has detached shafts with foliate capitals carrying remnants of a stone hood mostly rebuilt and repaired in timber. To its left is a high chamfered archway set over a squared inner arch, the latter renewed. To the right a renewed outer archway to inner doorway with engaged shafts with worn foliate capitals. Below this level are two wide, double-chamfered arches with semi-octagonal responds - the bases survive but the arches themselves have been renewed.
A further, freestanding fragment that formed part of the Bennett's Hall north-west external wall stands circa 2.5m from the rear elevation of 2-3 Pride Hill. Like that described above it is also constructed in coursed and squared sandstone rubble with lead cladding to the top, added in the late C20, to protect it from the weather.
