1, 2 AND 3, MEALCHEAPEN STREET

Details

WORCESTER

SO8554NW MEALCHEAPEN STREET
620-1/17/430 (South side)
05/04/71 Nos.1, 2 AND 3

GV II

2/3 houses, now shops. Numbered right to left, described left
to right. Origins c1610 with rebuilding c1688-99 for Anne
Beddoes. Mid C18 facade and later additions and alterations
including stuccoing to right; ground-floor shop front to left
Early C19; shop front to right c1836-99; and shop front to
centre of c1970s. Pinkish-red brick to left part, painted brick
to centre and stucco over brick at right, with plain tile roof.
3 storeys, 3:2:1 first-floor windows. First floor has five 6/9
flush sashes with sills and flat arches of rubbed brick, to
right an 8/8 flush sash with sill. Left and centre have
3-course second-floor band. Second floor has five 6/6 flush
sashes with renewed lintels and sills, and an 8/8 flush sash
with sill. To left ans centre a 2-course band over second
floor. Continuous coped parapet. Ground floor: shop front at
left has two original multi-pane bow windows (some original
panes of glass), central entrance, double part-glazed doors
with lower flush-beaded panel and overlight, to right a plank
door. To central shop front are plate-glass windows and doors.
To left, shop front has end and off-centre right pilasters with
corbel brackets, continuous frieze and cornice, plate-glass
windows on panelled aprons, glazed doors; similar renewed shop
front to right return. Right return has to first and second
floors each a tripartite window with 6/6 between 2/2 flush
sashes and with sills. Crowning low, coped parapet.
INTERIORS: No.3 has through first and second floors a closed
tread dogleg staircase with rod-on-vase balusters. Nos 2 and 3
said to retain doors of C17 wainscot with butterfly hinges.
Ground floor to right retains no evidence of original plan or
plasterwork and joinery. Otherwise not inspected.
HISTORICAL NOTE: no internal evidence of No.1 remains; some
evidence c1610 remains of Nos 2 and 3. Hughes notes that Nos 2
and 3 were described in 1610 as 'the new welling house of Mr
Richard Gough (alderman)'; the building was divided into 2
dwellings c1688-99 by Anne Beddoes with 2 gabled rear wings,
timbers and fittings were re-used from the earlier house.
It is said that previous occupants of No.3 have included a
saddlery and before that a boot shop. Until late C19 No.1 was
part of The Shambles. Mealcheapen Street flourished
particularly in the C16 and early C17 and was predominantly a
retail outlet; Hughes: 'it was the proximity to the Cornmarket
that gave the street much of its prosperity and led to the
establishment of a number of large inns.'
All the listed buildings in Mealcheapen Street form a good
group with listed buildings in Cornmarket (qqv); Nos 1, 2 and 3
Mealcheapen Street occupy a prominent corner site at the
crossroads of Mealcheapen Street, Trinity Street, The Shambles,
Church Street and St Swithin's Street, they also have good
group value with Church of St Swithun, Church Street (qv).
(Hughes P: Buildings and the Building Trade in Worcester
1540-1650: PhD thesis: 1990-: 197, 199-204).

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