Details
WELLS
ST5445 SADLER STREET
662-1/7/231 (West side)
No.21
The White Hart, with attached gate
piers.
GV II
Hotel. Some C16 and C17 fabric, substantial alterations late
C19 and refronted early C20. Rubble, rendered front with
applied timber-framing, double Roman or pantile roofs.
PLAN: the wide parallel-plan front range has a transverse
gabled roof; attached, left rear is a deep wing, with gabled
roof facing the rear slope of the front range. There appears
to have been a long narrow early range, set gable to the
street, but reroofed at the front when 2 bays were added. The
early range may have been a 3-room plan with cross passage,
entered on the N side from a side passage or courtyard, the 2
rooms nearer the street being heated. At the rear right is a
gabled wing at first floor above a wide carriageway.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 5 windows; at first floor plain sashes
with margin-pane surrounds, to stooled sills, and at ground
floor 3+2 sashes, the upper sash with 20 small panes, the
lower sash plain. Between bays 3 and 4 an early 4-panel door
in a plat-band surround. Small brick stack to the left gable.
There is a small plinth, dying to the right, a moulded string
above first floor, and a plat band below a blocking-course or
frieze with plain parapet carrying 2 false gables, with
timber-framing in 2 planes.
The return gable to the left is in plain rubble, stepped down
to a one-storey flat-roofed addition. Set back from this is
the long 2-storey wing, with various sashes, but also with a
4-pane sash at each floor to the left in C17 flush chamfered
stone surrounds, that to the ground floor with a central
mullion stub. At the street end is a brick stack to the gable.
Beyond is a further, lower wing.
The right return has a plain rubble gable with short
flat-roofed addition, and a single-storey flat roofed-unit
against the set-back wing, which has a 2-light casement, a
4-pane sash, and a very small slit light with flush chamfered
surround at first floor. Below is the C20 entrance, then to
its right a wide C20 door beneath a 5-pane transom-light.
Returned at the end of this wing is a wide gabled unit,
rendered, carried on three C17 chamfered and stopped beams.
The throughway is cobbled, and in the wall to its left is a
3-light stone casement with ovolo-mould mullions and surround.
INTERIOR: the street door gives to a stone-paved passage, with
what seems to be an original external wall to its left,
containing a former stone-framed casement, and the stone
entrance doorway with 4-centred head over a C17 door. To the
right of the passage is a shop. To the left are 2 rooms with
dividing fireplace set close to the passage, then the
staircase, with a further early room beyond. The middle room
has a 6-compartment ceiling with C16 moulded beams, and a
rebuilt fireplace, and opens to the front room, mainly
refitted in the C20, but with fireplace and interesting
cast-iron fireback with scrolled head and figures.
The staircase occupies part of the assumed transverse
cross-passage. The rear room is at a slightly lower floor
level, with low ceiling, cut into by a stair in one corner,
and in 6 compartments with deep chamfered beams; there is a
wide open fireplace to the external wall, with brick cheeks
but a large stone lintel to a very flat arch.
The staircase is a dog-leg, and at first floor detailing is
plain; the parlour, with coved ceiling, runs the full width of
the street front.
The wing at the rear has C19 king and queen-post trusses, and
the pantiles are underlined with lath and plaster.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: to the left of the front is a pair of
square rendered gate piers with capping swept to a ball
finial, but no gates.
HISTORICAL NOTE: there is a suggestion that this may have been
the Bishop's guest house. Later it became the Harts Head Inn.
The street frontage successfully conceals an interior of
considerable interest.
Listing NGR: ST5492745848
