HER 417 DESCRIPTION:- Listed Building Description: CIRENCESTER SP0202 GROVE LANE 578-1/4/216 (South West side) Spital Gate and attached cottage (Formerly Listed as: GROVE LANE Cottage No.1) I 14/06/48 Gatehouse to former Abbey and attached cottage. Late C12 and late C17, restored C19. Coursed squared limestone rubble; stone slate roofs; stone left- and right-end stacks to gatehouse, to right shared with attached cottage. Rectangular gatehouse has cottage of irregular plan attached to right. Gatehouse has large elliptically-arched opening to left with triple-chamfered surround with roll-moulded hood continued as string to left and short section to right; round-headed pedestrian gateway to right has chamfered reveal, roll-moulded hood and relieving arch. Pair of studded plank doors in large opening, probably C17 with later repairs, of harr-hung construction and possibly originally harr-hung have extended ledges and shaped braces, wrought-iron strap hinges; studded plank door in small opening of similar date with wrought-iron strap hinges. Rear range of cottage to right, single-storey with gable facing to left, has one 2-light chamfered stone mullion window with hoodmould to left, plank door with Tudor-arched head has applied moulding forming vertical panels, in chamfered reveal with hoodmould. Rear elevation of gatehouse has similar large elliptically-arched opening, one gabled dormer with 2-light casement window; cottage has one gable, single storey and attic one-window range. Ground floor has one 2-light chamfered stone mullion window with C19 iron casements and hoodmould, one similar window in gable above; door to ground floor left has Tudor-arched head and applied moulding forming 3 vertical panels, hoodmould over. INTERIOR of cottage has C20 alterations; C20 staircase, ground floor front has chamfered beam with step-stop, re-used door with 6 raised-and-fielded panels between ground floor front and rear rooms, roof structure of cottage partially inspected, appears C17 with later repairs. (The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds: London: 1970-: P.180). Listing NGR: SP 02366 02480. {Source Work ???.} Spital gate, situated on Grove Lane, is the only remaining monastic building of the abbey and is known as the 'Saxon Arch', although it is in fact a Norman gatehouse of c.1180. It must have been considerably restored during the 19th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building. {Source Work 476 & 862.} It "consists of a bold carriage entrance with Norman arches both entering and facing the Abbey grounds, and an entrance for the foot passengers at the side of the carriage way; with arch on each of the opposite faces as the carriage entrance has". {Source Work 27.} There is an archway for foot passengers only on the outer face of the gateway. The inner face has a wider "carriage" arch and this face has not been altered. It was described as being in good repair when the entry was made. {Source Work 862.} Spital-gateway provided access to the Whiteway. {Source Work 4729.} Mrs. Bunt of 39 Ashcroft Gardens, Cirencester, observed that there is a marble slab with an iron ring in the pantry of the gatehouse. This is apparently a secret tunnel to the monastery. {Source Work 8695.} A photograph of the Norman Arch was taken, and made into a postcard, during Christmas 1916. The photograph is held at Corinium Museum, Cirencester under accession 1986/40. A photograph postcard of the 'Hospital Gate of The Abbey of St Mary' was taken in 1904 and is held at Corinium Museum under acession 1984/101/14. A number of black and white print postcards of the Norman gateway were taken, one on 04/10/1923, and is held at Corinium Museum under accession 1984/101/4 & 5 and 1984/96/2. Further photographs under accession 1976/423. A further photograph of the Norman arch (accession 1976/124/17) was taken in 1976 and was sent of the NMR in November 1979. {Source Work 8695.} The 'abbey hospital gate' is depicted on Beecham's 1910 map, described as a monastery for men. {Source Work 8695.} Beecham describes the arch as "probably coeval with the Abbey Church re-erected by Henry I". In line with the Roman wall, "many living can recollect when a thick wall...extended along the stream eastward from the gate...the medieval successor of the original Roman wall"..."In the lodge adjacent is what is now a partition wall, over four feet thick...in the wall opposite is an ancient window opening." {Source Work 27 & 8695.} |