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Summary

Grade II listed building consisting of a 18th century timber framed house attached to an early 19th century house which overlooked the canal wharf

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1289769: THE CORNER HOUSE AND SURGERY
• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): 1/99 Kendrick House
  Mid C.18. 2 storeys, stuccoed, brick, with hipped tiled roof in which are 2 attic dormers. Three-light sash windows. There were internal alterations in early C.19 and front doorway, with 2 pilasters, moulded entablature and rectangular fan and side lights, is probably of this date. Interior: In 1st floor north room is late C.18 dado and a good doorframe. (Photograph in N.M.R.).

Monument Type(s):

• TIMBER FRAMED HOUSE (18th century - 1733 AD? to 1768 AD?)
• HOUSE (19th century to Victorian - 1801 AD to 1837 AD)
• SURGERY (Cold War to Late 20th century - Present - 1967 AD to 1991 AD)

Full Description

The building known in the early 21st century as Wharf House dates to the mid 18th century. It was listed under the name of The Corner House <1> and the pre 1980s' listing referred to it as Kendrick House <3>. However this name in the 21st century is used for a mid 20th century building attached to the west, as shown on the 5th Epoch Ordnance Survey mapping <6>. Earlier maps indicate a larger rectangular plan form for the block on the north side of Wharf Street, but by the time of the map of 1967 <6> this had been reduced to a square building. A surgery is marked within one quarter.

Wharf House is Grade II listed, and described as being originally two separate buildings, a western earlier part which may be timber framed, with an eastern early 19th century block <1>. The eastern façade faces the wharf adjacent to the Kennet and Avon canal and it would once have overlooked the former canal basin which was infilled by the early 1930s. The roof heights of these two parts are different, and the western part is described as being of three storeys. The eastern part is two storeys high with two flat-headed dormer windows in the clay tile roof. It is double fronted with three very large sash windows on the first floor, and two windows on the ground floor with a central entrance. The wooden doorcase has panelled pilasters carrying entablature and the doorway has sidelights, a patterned radial fanlight and a raised and fielded panel door <1>.

Wharf House may have been associated with the business of the canal, but it should be noted that another detached building 125m to the east formerly had the name of Canal House (and was later called Wharf House). Canal House was an 18th century detached building which was demolished in the 1960s.

The early use of Wharf House/Corner House is therefore unclear. During the late 20th century part of the building was used as a doctor's surgery; in 1991 a planning application was approved to change its use to offices <4> and in the early 21st century it was a solicitor's office.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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