Building record MYO704 - Jacob's Well

Summary

A late 15th century house, built to house the chantry priest of Holy Trinity Priory, Micklegate House. Now used as the parish room of Holy Trinity Priory Church, it originally consisted of an open hall which was floored in the 17th century; prior to this the house was extended in the early 16th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries the building was used as a public house, trading under the name Jacob's Well, and in1815 a brick second storey was thrown up on top of the original timber-framed structure. In 1905 the building was restored and altered, including the reconstruction of the late 15th century canopy over door, by Walter Harvey Brook. During the early 1980s it was noticeable that the upper storey was visibly leaning forward over Trinity Lane below and the floor of the first storey was bowing at the centre and sagging at the sides, with the load from the additional brick not actually being transferred to ground level. Following monitoring by English Heritage, it was accepted that the only solution was to remove the third storey and replace the roof at its lower 1815 level. This work was undertaken under the direction of Peter Marshall Architects and restoration specialists, William Anelay Ltd of York and was completed in 1991.

Location

Grid reference Centred SE 5990 5157 (15m by 14m)
Map sheet SE55SE
Unitary Authority City of York, North Yorkshire

Map

Type and Period (9)

Full Description

House, now parish room of Holy Trinity Priory Church, Micklegate (qv). Late C15; possibly extended in early C16, and hall floored in C17; wing raised and further extended in early C19. Restored and altered in 1905, including reconstruction of late C15 canopy over door; restored 1991, including removal of additional storey and construction of new roof to wing. Restoration and alterations of 1905 by Walter Harvey Brook; restoration of 1991 by Peter Marshall, Architects, of York.

MATERIALS: timber-framed, with original infilling of wall tiles, ground floor at front encased in rubble stone, with areas of brick of various dates; ground floor alterations at rear rebuilt in dressed stone; first floor of both fronts plastered and whitewashed. C19 extension of red brick, part Flemish bond, part English garden-wall bond. Roofs tile and pantile, with rebuilt brick stack at left end of entrance front.

PLAN: 1-bay open hall with 2-bay crosswing and later extensions.

EXTERIOR: 2-storey front, two and half bays of framing, the upper floor jettied on two sides; 2-storey 1-window extension to right. Original entrance in jettied right return, now enclosed in C19 extension. Doorcase towards left end incorporates reconstructed canopy with embattled mouldings, coffered on underside, on medieval cusped brackets, the spandrels carved with an eagle, a Tudor rose, leaves and flowers. Renewed door with 2-centred head in architrave carved with flowerheads between colonnette jambs with moulded bases and inverted bell capitals. Renewed 3-light mullioned window at left end of ground floor; to right, renewed 2x6-pane horizontal sliding sash. On first floor are two mullioned windows, one of 5 lights in shallow oriel, one of 4 lights, both renewed. Window mullions are timber, of diamond form, and windows have lead latticed lights. Both windows in extension are 2-light horizontal sliding sashes, 6-paned on ground floor beneath segmental arch, 4-paned on first floor beneath timber lintel, both with stone sills. Rear: 2-storey 1-bay hall, with 2-storey crosswing to right. Double chamfered doorway in crosswing, with 2-centred head and nail-studded door, to left of hollow-chamfered square-headed window of two pointed lights. Ground floor of hall contains projecting square bay with roll moulded parapet and 4-light mullion window. Continuous hoodmould runs across bay window and returns above door and window in crosswing. On first floor, crosswing has 4-light window with brick mullions in
chamfered brick surround, and hall has 6-light timber mullioned window. Hall has timber guttering on elongated iron scroll brackets.

INTERIOR: ground floor: inserted studded wall divides crosswing, in which dragon beam and floor joists, some replacements, survive at right end; left end underceiled. In wall between crosswing and C19 extension, original doorway and 6-light mullion window survive, beneath original first floor jetty. Hall has ogee-arched chamfered fireplace with heavy timber lintel carved with embattled mouldings; ceiling beam and joists are chamfered. Inserted door and 3-light mullion window leads to staircase extension. Staircase has close string and open panelled balustrade, moulded handrail and square newels with truncated pyramidal caps. 2-light mullion and transom staircase window with leaded lights and opaque glazing, and ogee mullion and transoms. On first floor, ceiling over stairs is coffered with chamfered beams and painted carved bosses at intersections. Framing in hall is complete except for wall broken for staircase. In crosswing, chimneybreast and firehood, with timber surround to fireplace with simply moulded jambs and shelf. Roofs: hall has two crown post trusses with ridge purlin, collared rafters and 1 side purlin on intact side opposite staircase. Reconstructed crown post roof to crosswing. Notable early and late C20 ironwork on most doors and windows. (City of York: RCHME: South-west of the Ouse: HMSO: 1972-: LXII; 109).
Listing NGR: SE5994451539

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

Information from NMR

(SE 59915157) Jacob's Well (NAT) (1)

No 5 (Jacob's Well)
SE 5951 NE 15/622 14.6.54
Late C15 with later alterations. Timber frame, stone and brick; 2 and 3 storeys; over-sailing upper storeys. The 1st storey, of exposed timber frame, has 2 wood mullioned windows with restored leaded lights and the 2nd storey, of early C19 brick (now painted) has a horizontal sliding sash window; restored and recessed doorway with exceptionally fine carved wood canopy on elaborate C16 brackets from the Old Wheatsheaf Inn, having cusps with figure-head bosses and the spandrels carved with the figure of an eagle, a Tudor rose and floral decoration. The house originally consisted of an open hall with cross wing to east incorporating a separate dwelling. The building is now the Parish Room of Holy Trinity Church.

(RCHM Vol III, Monument 125) (2)

House, now parish room of Holy Trinity Priory Church, Micklegate. Late 15th century ; possibly extended in early 16th century, and hall floored in 17th century; wing raised and further extended in early 19th century. Restored and altered in 1905, including reconstruction of late 15th century canopy over door; restored 1991, including removal of additional storey and construction of new roof to wing. Restoration and alterations of 1905 by Walter Harvey Brook; restoration of 1991 by Peter Marshall, Architects, of York. MATERIALS: timber-framed, with original infilling of wall tiles, ground floor at front encased in rubble stone, with areas of brick of various dates; ground floor alterations at rear rebuilt in dressed stone; first floor of both fronts plastered and whitewashed. 19th century extension of red brick, part Flemish bond, part English garden-wall bond. Roofs tile and pantile, with rebuilt brick stack at left end of entrance front. PLAN: one-bay open hall with two-bay crosswing and later extensions. Roofs: hall has two crown post trusses with ridge purlin, collared rafters and 1 side purlin on intact side opposite staircase. Reconstructed crown post roof to crosswing. Notable early and late 20th century ironwork on most doors and windows. Grade 1. (3)

Additional reference. (4)

An accont of the restoration of Jacob's Well when the upper storey was removed to preserve the buildings historic character . (5)

Sources
1 Ordnance Survey Map 1:2500 1962
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest 354-5 City of York, JUN-1983
3 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 1320-1 1112-1 City of York, 16-MAR-1997
4 An inventory of the historical monuments in the City of York. Volume III: south-west of the Ouse. 1972 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 109
5 Context : newsletter of the Association of Conservation Officers (Incomplete)

Sources/Archives (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Jan 31 2020 8:13PM

Feedback

Your feedback is welcome; if you can provide any new information about this record, please contact the City Archaeologist.