Spire Climb - St Mary's in the Market Square, Lichfield - Lichfield Library

I have finally got around to having a look around at the museum at St Mary's in the Market Square in Lichfield. It was formerly called the Lichfield Heritage Centre.

 

Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take photos of the museum exhibits, so instead took some elements of the former church.

 

I later paid £3 to go on a Spire Climb, with nice views of the City of Lichfield (which made up for not getting photos of the museum exhibits).

 

 

The museum is up some stairs on a floor erected when the museum moved in here.

 

 

I decided to go on the Spire Climb. A nice lady who worked there, took me up (she was the guide). I was a bit nervous going up all those stairs (had to leave my bag in a cupboard).

 

 

Views of distant buildings in Lichfield.

 

 

Current home of Lichfield Library, although they maybe moving in the future.

 

Staffordshire County Council building for Lichfield College and Library Services.

 

It includes Lichfield Library, Lichfield Record Office, The Friary Gallery, Library, Art & Archives Committee, Education Committee and Lichfield College.

 

Scaffolding on the end near St John Street.

 

Grade II listed.

 

Lichfield College and Lichfield Library, Lichfield

 

LICHFIELD

 

SK1109SE THE FRIARY

1094-1/8/232 (South side)

05/02/52 Lichfield College and Lichfield

Library

(Formerly Listed as:

BIRMINGHAM ROAD

Lichfield Friary Grammar School for

Girls)

 

GV II

 

Part of Franciscan Friary, converted to house and then to

school. c1295, altered and extended to north, 1538, for

Gregory Stonynge; extended, 1921-8, by GC Lowbridge, County

Architect.

Ashlar and brick; tile roofs with brick stacks.

T-plan with end cross-wings, original building forming end and

cross-wing of arm to right.

Original building, known as the Bishop's Lodging, forms L-plan

with short wing. Mostly ashlar with some brick.

North wing: 2 storeys with attic; 3-window left return range.

2 offset ashlar and brick buttresses; 3 coped gables. Pointed

entrance to right end has single-chamfered arch. Tall stair

window to left end has leaded glazing, 3-light ovolo-mullioned

window to left; 1st floor has 2 mullioned and transomed

windows of 3 lights; attic has casement windows with iron

opening casements. Two C20 lateral stacks.

End has early brickwork with offset below timber-framed gable

with ogee bracing and brick infill, ashlar angle to right with

return raking buttress; small window high up to right projects

and has leaded glazing, gable has slanting window.

Right return has gabled wing to right of centre and right end

gable. Left end of ashlar with some brick; ground floor has

2-light casement and pegged cross casement both with timber

lintels and leaded glazing; 1st floor has 3 windows with

12-pane sashes.

Wing has much ashlar and brick patching, raised eaves and

diagonal buttresses; 2 windows to ground floor, one to 1st

floor, all with 12-pane sashes, attic has small-paned

casement; left return has blocked 1st floor round-headed light

with spandrels, and lateral stack; right return has large

brick section and eaves, 1st floor door to fire-escape with

rubbed brick flat arch, and lateral stack. Gabled right end

has signs of blocked openings and brick gable and angle

buttress; 1st floor door.

Rear elevation, south wing, of 2 storeys; 5-window range with

central 2-storey porch with chamfered angles and parapet; 3

offset buttresses.

Recessed entrance has steps up to recessed glazed and

fielded-panelled door. Windows have paired 18-pane horned

sashes, those to 1st floor with cornices and parapets, left

end window with inserted half-glazed door; window to right of

entrance has ex-situ gravestone of C14 or earlier below:

calvary cross fleury and worn inscription to Richard the

Merchant, found in 1746.

C20 range of brick with ashlar dressings. 2 storeys; gabled

centre with flanking 6- and 3-window ranges and wing to left

end. 3-light ovolo-mullioned-and-transomed windows; coped

gables. Centre has gabled buttresses and entrance with Tudor

head in architrave with label mould; flanking windows with

cornice above taken round base of canted oriel with vine and

grapes to base, 1:2:1-light window, flanking 3-light windows

and light above.

Range to right to front of old range; gabled centre has 1st

floor oriel. Range to left is symmetrical with 2 gabled

projections with oriels. Wing has gabled buttresses;

2:3:2-light windows and cusped panelling between floors;

7-window left return. Rear has hall wing with tall windows

with small-paned glazing and tall lateral stack; later

additions.

INTERIOR: old part has brick-vaulted cellars with ashlar

benches and shelves; C20 paired sashes to corridors and

staircase; ground floor room to wing has chamfered beams,

square panelling, corner fireplace with pilasters, frieze and

dentilled cornice; niche with shaped shelves and architrave;

attic with exposed trusses, north wing with curved principals.

C20 part has ex-situ C16 fireplace from panelled room, ashlar

with Tudor arch and lettering: GREGORY STONYNG to spandrels,

Delft tiles and cast iron fireback; late C20 alterations.

During the C18 the house was the home of Mrs Cobb and her

niece, friends of Dr Johnson, who often visited them.

(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London:

1974-: P.191-2; Mullins H: History of the Friary School:

Lichfield).

 

 

Listing NGR: SK1161509321

Done