82-83 Church Street

by Andrew Stuart
In 82-83 Church Street

An exceptionally fine and well-preserved medieval town house. Pair of houses in row. Late C15 or early C16. Late C16/17 rear wing, extended late C18/C19. Close studded framing with plaster infill to front, heavy box framing elsewhere, brick underbuild; tile roofs, brick stacks. - Listing description


In August 2020 a dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) research project, lead by Dr Andy Moir, inspected number 82 and samples taken in September. As of March 2021 they have revealed that the timbers in this house date to 1452, considerably earlier than the listing estimate. Their preliminary report provides some fascinating new details and some speculation as to the age of various features. You can view this report here. When the full report is released we will report the findings here also. Several buildings in Tewkesbury are being surveyed.
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PLAN: side-entry parallel plan, heated by central shared stack, with lower rear wing making L-plan.

Front is 2-windowed: No.82 has 3-light C18 leaded casement with central opening light to horizontal bars only, above same at first floor, and C20 3-pane shop front with door, left.

No.83 has 3-light wood casement at first and second floors, with good small-pane timber bow shop front oriel; to right the opening to the alley. First-floor casement flanked by 3 and 2 cusped panels as to No.82, but slightly wider lights, but bressumer above, not frieze.

Large brick stack centred behind ridge, which has some stone ridge tiles. In the brick-paved alley wall to right is heavy timber-frame, to left rendered.

Interior of No.83 not inspected, but basic fabric clearly of same date as No.82 and noted as having fragments of late C16 wall painting to first-floor front room including extracts from Psalm 102 and separate text beginning "Honour thy Father..".

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The cusped first-floor panels constitute a very rare example and highly significant of C15 wooden fenestration, particularly for a town house.

The first-floor window is flanked each side by 2 delicately carved cusped blank lights, and a carved Perpendicular frieze runs full width immediately below the jetty. This originally would have been a continuous window strip, carried also across No.83.
Photo Mallet 1880-1900
Photo Mallet 1880-1900
A photocopy of this said "Photo Mallet 1880-1900". Definitely pre-dates the 1950s since the classical frontage next door (left) has not been added. It could be just before Thomas Collins restored the upper story
1911, photographer Judge Konstan
1911, photographer Judge Konstan

Photographs send to me by Chris Partrick, Conservation Officer at Tewkesbury Borough Council. Taken in the 1950s by the Air Ministry

Photographs from John Dixon's archive. The file is dated 1979 although I suspect it is much older. The window is present in older photographs despite it being under repair in this image.

Census Data 1841-1891

1841
82 Church Street
1841 Ref- HO107/380/6
Thomas Cull; Male; 57; Builder; Not Born In Gloucestershire.
Mary Cull; Female; 58; Not Born In Gloucestershire.
1851
82? Church Street
1851 Ref- HO107/1974
Thomas Cull; Head; Married; Male; 66; Carpenter; Born Bradforton(sic) Bretforton? Worcs.
Mary Cull; Wife; Married; Female; 68; Carpenters Wife; Born Longdon Worcs.
1861
82? Church Street
1861 Ref-RG9/1807
John Penell; Head; Widower; Male; 52; Tailor; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
John Penell; Son; Male; 15; Tailor; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
1871
82 Church Street
1871 Ref- RG10/2679
Catherine Phelps; Head; Widow; Female; 59; Annuatist; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Catherine Phelps; Daughter; Single; Female; 29; Annuatist; Born Gloucester Glos.
Sarah Read; Visitor; Married; Female; 50; Annuatist; Born Eldersfield Worcestershire.
Notes
  • Catherine Phelps, aged 85 years of Barton Terrace on 8th Oct. 1895 (TR12/10/1895)
1881
82 Church Street
1881 Ref-RG11/ 2578 1-E
Catherine Phelps; Head; Widow; Female; 68; Annuitant; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Kate Phelps; Daughter; Single; Female; 38; Annuitant; Born Gloucester Glos.
Notes
  • Catherine Phelps, aged 85 years of Barton Terrace on 8th Oct. 1895 (TR12/10/1895)
1891
82 Church Street
1891 Ref-RG12/2049 336-1A
habitation count: 5+
Thomas Davies; Head; Married; Male; 55; Tailor;b. Kington Herefordshire; Employer.
Mercy Davies; Wife; Married; Female; 59;b. Corsham Wilts.
Number of records found: 6


Census Data 1841-1891

1841
83 Church Street
1841 Ref- HO107/380/6
John Bullock; Male; 40; Journeyman Tanner; Born In Gloucestershire.
Elizabeth Bullock; Female; 45; Born In Gloucestershire.
John Bullock; Male; 18; Apprentice Tinman; Born In Gloucestershire.
Thomas Bullock; Male; 15; Male Servant; Born In Gloucestershire.
William Bullock; Male; 14; Journeyman Gardener; Born In Gloucestershire.
James Bullock; Male; 12; Born In Gloucestershire.
Henry Bullock; Male; 9; Born In Gloucestershire.
1851
83? Church Street
1851 Ref- HO107/1974
Thomas Randall; Head; Married; Male; 54; Tailor; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Mary Randall; Wife; Married; Female; 55; Tailors Wife; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Phebe Randall; Daughter; Female; 14; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Caleb Randell; Son; Male; 11; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
1871
83 Church Street
1871 Ref- RG10/2679
George Bishop; Head; Married; Male; 71; Shopkeeper Grocer; Born Tewkesbury Glos.
Sarah Bishop; Wife; Married; Female; 72; Born Mitcheldean Glos.
Elizabeth Phillips; Sister-in-law; Single; Female; 68; Retired Servant; Born Eldersfield Glos.
Notes
  • marriage at Kempsey, 25/6/1839; George Bishop, Butcher, To Miss Sarah Phillips (Bennett i p411)
1881
83 Church Street
1881 Ref-RG11/ 2578 1-E
Sarah Bishop; Head; Widow; Female; 81; Grocer; Born Mitcheldean Glos.
Elizabeth Phillips; Sister; Single; Female; 78; Annuitant; Born Eldersfield Worcs.
Mary Ann Griffiths; Niece; Single; Female; 13; Scholar; Born Sandhurst Glos.
1891
83 Church Street
1891 Ref-RG12/2049 336-1A
habitation count: 5+
Thomas Godwin; Head; Married; Male; 74; Hosier;b. Tewkesbury Glos; Working On Own Account.
Sarah Godwin; Wife; Married; Female; 67; Straw Bonnet Maker;Born Tewkesbury Glos; Working On Own Account.
Constance A. Turberville; Lodger; Single; Female; 16; Dressmakers Apprentice;b. Overbury Glos(sic); Employed.
Number of records found: 5


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