Description

CRANE STREET
1.
1594
(South Side)
Nos 99 & 101
SU 1429 NW 3/63 (Church House incorporating
Audley House)
28.2.52.
GV
2.
A group of buildings round a courtyard dating back in part to C15. Alteration
in C18 and in 1887 particularly west river front by Crickmay of Weymouth.
Crane Street front of North block C15, altered. 2 storey, ashlar stone. Old
tile roof. This street front is an unsymmetrical composition with a large
4-centred, moulded and splayed arch to the left hand of centre with small
2-light casement window with drip mould over. The archway has a contemporary
oak double door with tracery and studding. To the right hand of the archway
- 2 8-light moulded stone mullioned and transomed windows, the upper lights
with tracery lighting the Hall which is the whole height of the building.
To the right hand of these 1 small 2-light window on each floor with tracery
and drip moulds, and a small gabled tile hung dormer over.
The gabled end of the west side of the courtyard projects with overwailing
1st floor, tile hung, and a chimney shaft to the left hand.
To the left hand of archway 2 C18 windows have been inserted on the 1st floor
and one on the ground floor. The glazing bars of ground floor windows have
been removed.
South elevation of North Block. C15 with C19 restorations. Flint with ashlar
stone dressings. Old tile roof.
1 3-light gabled dormer over archway. 1 2-light moulded stone mullioned windows
with drip mould over at 1st floor. To left hand of archway 2 8-light mullioned
and transomed windows corresponding to those on north elevations.
At right angles to the Hall, C15-16, 2-storey ashlar stone wing with tile hung
gabled end with one 4-light moulded stone mullioned and transomed window.
On west elevation of this wing - one 4 light moulded stone mullioned and transomed
window at 1st floor and one 4-centred arched doorway (C16) on ground floor.
In the angle between this wing andthe Hall is a 2-storey angular bay with
hipped old tile roof. 5-light moulded stone mullioned, traceried window at
1st floor.
12-light moulded stone mullioned and transomed window - the top lights with
tracery on the ground floor.
East elevation of West Block.
West side of courtyard.
C15-C16. 2 storey and attic. Brick with projecting plinth and moulded stone
band at 1st floor level. Old tile roof. 3 hipped dormer windows. One 3-light
window with moulded oak mullions one central rectangular, one-storey bay on
brackets and 2 4-light moulded oak mullioned on 1st floor.
The bay has 8 lights on front and 2 on each side with moulded oak mullions.
The lights in the bay and the 4-light windows have been glazed with plate
glass. 5 irregular windows and 2 doors on ground floor - 4 6-light moulded
oak, mullioned and transomed windows and 1 4-light all with modern leaded
lights. Both doors have modern moulded and splayed door surrounds with 4 centred
arches over.
West elevation of West Block
Extends along the river - C15-C16, 2 storey and attic, brick tile hung gables
and old tile roof. Stone mullioned windows on ground floor and half timbering,
irregular windows to upper floors. All this front rehandled by Crickmay.
South block - north elevation
The range was built in 1728, recasing range added to house in 1637, on conversion
to a workhouse.
3 storey, brick, projecting plinth. Stone bands at 1st and 2nd floor levels.
Windows have stone cills and keystones moulded and coved eaves cornice. Hipped
old tile roof.
9 windows on upper floors.
6 windows and 2 doors on ground floor.
Double doors in moulded architrave surround - each door 3 panels with flat
moulded cantilever hoods with deep mitred cove under.
Audley House was originally the house of Webb, a cloth merchant. The south
block was a 'hospital' for old men.
Interiors: the hall has a roof with collar beams on thin arched braces, tracery
above collars and 2 tiers of windbraces. Wall posts rest on stone demi-figures
of angels with shields, one with merchant's mark. Reset massive chimney piece.
Another reset with cusped quatrefoils in entrance room to front and again in
ground floor room of west range. Only chimney piece in original position
in the solar, lintel with 3 very large quatrefoils. Elizabethan ribbed plaster
ceiling.
Very picturesque building.

Nos 87 to 101 (odd) form an important group.

Listing NGR: SU1416229803

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529294

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014