The Old Cloisters

Cadw's description

Location

Adjoining the N side of the Church of St Peter, the entrance to the E.

History

Probably contemporary with the foundation of the Collegiate Parish Church in 1310, and built as domestic accommodation for the incumbents, at one time Augustinian Bonhommes. When the collegiate buildings were purchased in 1590 by Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster, for the foundation of Christ's Hospital, the Old Cloisters became the Warden's residence. It stayed as such until 1954 when a new warden's house was built to the N. The Old Cloisters is now used as meeting rooms for the church. Much medieval fabric and detail is retained, but the range has been altered historically, including the insertion of some early C19 Gothic windows. It continued further N originally, a house added on to this end after the Reformation.

Exterior

The front is 2-storey, asymmetrical, 6-window to the lower storey and 5-window to the upper storey, with evidence of historic alteration. Constructed of large blocks of red sandstone and coursed and snecked grey stone, under a slate roof; moulded red sandstone eaves cornice. Entrance to L of centre, ogee-arched wooden doorcase containing double panelled doors under a gothic fanlight with intersecting glazing bars. It is set within an older doorway with pointed arched head of stone voussoirs. Pairs of large pointed-arched windows flanking entrance, all with substantial stone hoodmoulds; those to R are wider and contain small-pane sashes with intersecting glazing under the heads; the pair to the L are 3- and 2-light wooden casements with stained glass roundels under the heads. Between each pair of windows, a stone buttress, that to L raised in brick. To R is a doorway leading into the adjoining house, with 4-centred arched head containing double panelled doors under a fanlight with curved glazing bars; it is also set within an older arch of stone voussoirs. The upper storey has a tall 3-light oriel window to L of centre with flat roof and quarry glazing, within a large pointed-arched opening with snecked stone under the arch. To each side of oriel window, 2 pointed-arched windows of irregular size, wooden casements with quarry glazing under red sandstone hoodmoulds. The L-hand windows are within older arches of stone voussoirs, that to far L shallow and wide. N gable is of coursed blocks of grey stone. Adjoining the R end is a 2-storey house. It is constructed of old red brick on a rubble stone plinth, the N end of coursed blocks of grey stone with canted NE angle; slate roof; red brick ridge stack offset to R. The range (entered from L) has 2 x 3-light wooden casements with quarry glazing to ground floor; similar 4-light casement to upper floor flanked by single lights. Curved NE face has a small 6-pane window with segmental head of stone voussoirs, with 2-light casement above; N end has double boarded garage doors with 3-light window above.
Rear elevation, partly seen, is constructed of large blocks of grey stone. The upper storey includes 3 tall pointed-arched lights offset to L containing wooden 2-light casements, with black and white painted tympana. Towards the centre is a narrow single-storey flat-roofed service block, possibly late C19, with a margin-glazed window. To R is a 2-storey lean-to, the upper part C20. Its ground floor, of early origin, has 2 tall gothic windows containing 4-pane sashes, with intersecting glazing and stained glass roundels beneath the arches.

Interior

Interior contains a 5-bay vaulted undercroft. Inside the front entrance is a stair-hall, the ceiling of red sandstone vaulting; the diagonal ribs and tiercerons are filleted and spring from round columns. To the rear is a wooden staircase, staggered at mid-level. The lower flight is C18 with columnar balusters, moulded handrail and square newel posts carved with mermaid figures, with acorn finials. Panelled doors to L and R with Tudor-arched hoodmoulds. The room to R has similar vaulting to the stair-hall but it is plastered. The front windows have panelled traceried shutters decorated with shields and flowers, perhaps brought from the church. Panelled door to rear leads to service areas. The room to L of stair-hall, formerly the Drawing Room, has plastered vaulting in a different style to elsewhere, diagonal rib vaults on round piers. Ogee rere-arches to doors and windows, the end stops with figures in relief. Two pointed archways lead to W bay which has a wood-panelled ceiling with flower bosses. The pointed arched windows have stained glass roundels, possibly C16 and Flemish, and panelled traceried shutters.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as a rare surviving example in Wales of medieval college accommodation, retaining important detail such as the internal vaulting. Its C16 conversion to the Warden's house is of additional special interest, whilst the C19 gothicisation imparts character.