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ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1298719
Date first listed:: 13-Jun-1948
List Entry Name:: ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031
Statutory Address:: ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1298719
Date first listed:: 13-Jun-1948
List Entry Name:: ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031
Statutory Address 1:: ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: ALFRED'S HALL AT NGR SO 972 031

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Gloucestershire
District:: Cotswold (District Authority)
Parish:: Cirencester
National Grid Reference:: SO9726203126

Details

CIRENCESTER

SO9703 CIRENCESTER PARK 578-1/1/345 Alfred's Hall at NGR SO 972 031 14/06/48

II*

Landscape building. 1721, enlarged 1732 with C19 alterations. Designed by Alexander Pope and Lord Bathurst. Coursed squared limestone rubble with ashlar dressings; roof covering not visible behind parapet. Gothick sham ruin, now genuinely ruinous, of irregular plan and scattered fenestration. Present entrance front to south is 2-storey 5-window range. 2 bays to centre largely intact with only remaining roofed portion of building behind bay to centre left, bay to centre right screen wall, wing to left screen wall concealing former actual and sham rooms behind, to right quadrant of screen wall curving forwards partially collapsed. First floor has to centre left lancet window with cusped head and leaded lights, to centre right heavily rusticated 2-light stone-mullion window, unglazed; to far left lancet window with cusped head, in quadrant of wall to right 2 unglazed lancets. Ground floor has to centre left doorway with 4-centred arched head with chamfered reveal with brick relieving arch over and shield and head carved in relief with Gothic lettering ALFRED'S HALL, to centre right round-headed doorway; to left 2-light chamfered stone mullion and transom window with cusped headed lights, to far left former doorway now collapsed; to right in quadrant of screen wall 2 lancet windows, that to left with cusped head, to far right pointed doorway. Low buttress with offsets to left, bay to far left breaks forward with quoins at angles; embattled parapet to 2 centre bays, remaining in part only to left and right. Right side (east) has 2-storey bow with 2-light window with traceried head and hoodmould to first floor, 3-light pointed window with intersecting stone tracery and hoodmould to ground floor, embattled parapet. Rear elevation (north) has to left lancet with cusped head over round-headed doorway with hoodmould with keystone and coat of arms carved in relief over, to centre 3- and 4-light stone mullion and transom windows, probably C19, two-storey bow to right; embattled parapet. Left side (W) probably originally of ruinous apearance with sham rooms, now further collapsed. INTERIOR now consists of one room only; roof, west wall and floors of secondary room to rear left collapsed March 1989. Rectangular room approximately 12.6 x 4.8m with apsidal extension inside bow to east has entrance doorways to south and north and doorway to former secondary room to west in moulded timber architraves, that to west with panelled reveal, that to south with architrave broken upwards to centre to enclose armorial device in plaster, doors now gone; remains of oak dado panelling. Alfred's Hall probably the first Gothick sham ruin to be built in England; enlarged 1732 when said to have been embellished with fragments from the manor house at Sapperton, demolished by Bathurst that year (panelling and other fittings also now at Sapperton Church); etching by Thomas Robins 1763 shows small square tower to north, of which fragment may remain, and extensive mock ruins, now gone; centre of north front shown as small 2-bay cottage suggesting present stone mullion-and-transom windows and embattled parapet C19 alterations; 1887 History of Cirencester quotes correspondence of Pope et al. indicating Alfred's Hall attached to pre-existing cottage; extent of popular use in C19 could explain alterations. (The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds: London: 1970-: P.86; Beecham KJ: History of Cirencester and the Roman City Corinium: 1887-: P.191-193; Fleming L: The English Garden: London: 1979-: P.110; Smith JA: Pavilions in Peril: London: 1987-: P 10 - 11; Glos. CC, Archaeology Section: Parry C: Report on archaeological works ... Alfred's Hall: March: 1989-: GLOS 3674; EH Gardens Register: Gloucestershire: Grade I: London: 1986-).

Listing NGR: SO9726203126

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 365105
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Beecham, K J , History of Cirencester and the Roman City of Corinium, (1887), 191-193
Fleming, L , The English Garden, (1979), 110
Smith, J A , Pavilions in Peril, (1987), 10-11
Verey, D , The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970), 86
Other
Parry, C, Report on Archaeological Works Alfreds Hall, (1989)
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 16 Gloucestershire,

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.