Description

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

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Salisbury Cathedral School at Wikipedia
• Salisbury Cathedral School official website
• Wikidata Q7404745

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)