Monument Type(s):

• HOUSE (Early, 15th century - 1400 AD to 1499 AD) + Sci.Date
• SCHOOL (early, 15th century - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)

Summary

An early 15th century house, formerly part of Shrewsbury School, and now part of the library, which is protected by Grade II Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA3749 - 1978 excavation at Rigg's Hall, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury by BUFAU

Description

See SMR Card for additional references. <0>

House, formerly part of Shrewsbury School, now part of library. Early C15 but extensively restored. Timber-framed on high sandstone plinth with plain tiled roof. 2 storeys, main range comprising hall and solar block with cross wing possibly a later addition. Timber-framed with square panels with massive braces in rear elevation, some close studding on inner elevation and to cross wing with ogival braces. Cambered tie beams with vine scroll decoration, and jowled posts with arched braces to gable. Ground floor largely altered on incorporation to library, the infill panels removed to leave timber-framed screen walls on inner faces. Upper storeys have 4-light casement windows, all renewed. The building was one of the original buildings of Shrewsbury School at its foundation in 1552. (Smith JT: Shrewsbury: Topography and Domestic Architecture to the Mid C17: 1953) <2>

This monument consists of two separate components: a part-surviving, part-excavated, medieval hall of 1401 (PRN 62104), and an L-plan addition built for the headmaster of the Grammar School and dated by an inscribed tie-beam, and documentary evidence, to 1589 (PRN 62105). <8>

Before 1590, Shrewsbury School, which was founded in 1552 was probably in Rigg's Hall. This is supposed to date in its structure from before the Reformation. In 1627-30 a second school building was erected at right angles, to form an L-shape embracing Rigg's Hall. <9>

Detailed description of building, interior and exterior photographs, ground floor plan.<11>

A programme of dendrochronological survey was undertaken of the structures which constitute Rigg's Hall. ->

-> Rigg’s Hall is one of a group of buildings, once housing Shrewsbury School but now used as Shrewsbury’s Public Library. The unit known as ‘Rigg’s’ and interpreted as a solar block has a stone ground-floor storey surmounted by timber-framing. The framed part has crown-posts in the end trusses but the central truss is of arch-braced collar-beam construction. The collar-beam has a central mortice to allow the collar-purlin to be purposefully threaded through; it is not dropped into a trench cut at a later date. Thus, two techniques are skilfully combined, perhaps indicating a transitional phase but more likely to acquire an open truss in the centre, dispensing with intrusive crown-posts. The crown-posts are of T-section with the limb extending down the tiebeam, normal for Shrewsbury, and the lateral braces are down-swinging and cusped. Cusping also occurs on the external angle-braces, both up and down, and similarly on the transverse trusses. This unit has produced a felling date range of 1405-1435. ->

At right angles to that unit is a linking block of indeterminate date ending in a truss which also displays crown-post roofing, but this time with a plane crown-post and short straight down-braced laterals. Its nature has led to its being regarded as a relic from an earlier phase, but the dendrochronology has produced a similar felling date range of 1413-1443. This means that the published account stands in need of revision and that the probable interpretation is that of an open hall unit with plain crown-post roofing and a solar cross-wing of more advanced and decorative design (<12>). In 1401-2 David Holebatch, a prominent lawyer and bailiff of Shrewsbury in 1413 was granted leave to build on this site (Bod. Lib, MS Gough Shropshire 12, fo. 98, reference kindly provided by Bill Champion). There may have been an interval before the permit was taken up but the documentry evidence points to an earlier rather than later date within the felling date ranges. ->

-> A felling date range from the south end fragmentary truss of 1413-1443 was obtained; a felling date range of 1405-1435 was obtained from the solar wing.<13><13a><13b>

It remains difficult to full attest the dates given in <13> to individual components of the building morphology as discussed in <8>. <14>

Two-bay solar(?). Dendro-dated 1405-35. It has crown-post roof construction at each end and a central truss of open arch-braced collar-beam form. Cusping is used freely, internally on the down-swinging braces to the crown-posts and externally on the angle-braces of the framework. Red ochre had been used as a wash both inside and outside. A dendro-date of 1413-43 was obtained for what was probably a contemporary hall block at right angles which is also of crown-post roof construction. Interior photographs, first floor plan, SE elevation, 2 sections.->

->An extension to the late medieval work was made inn 1589, to provide accomodation for the headmaster. The framework includes close-spaced verticals, S-braces and carved bargeboards with vine trails. The porch, which was removed at some time, had a tie-beam with similar carved vines, the date and inscription 'DOMUS ARCHIPAEDAGOGI'. The tie-beam survives at Shrewsbury School. Photograph of exterior.<15>

Sources

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