Listed Building record MDR10714 - Church House, Church Close, Melbourne

Church House, Church Close, Melbourne, a late 17th or early 18th century building. 'This three-storey brick house of three bays, with a lower addition at the north end, stands end-on to the Church facing east onto a small green. Documentary sources suggest that there was a house on this site in 1584, and there is an inventory of 1615 recording a house of two rooms with detached kitchen, butcher's shop, and buttery. The present house is later, built in the late 17th century as a three-room house, in brick with some diaper work. In the late 18th century the house was refronted and the walls raised, and soon after the northern bay was rebuilt for use as an apothecary's shop. Alterations and additions were made at various times throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.' (1) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 38/3925 PARISH OF MELBOURNE CHURCH CLOSE 6/91 (West Side) 18.2.71 Close House (formerly listed with the Surgery) GV II House. Early C18, enlarged and refronted in late C18 with minor late C19 alterations. Red brick, on chamfered stone plinth, with painted stone dressings, painted brick quoins and plain, early C18, stone first floor band. Plain tile roof with brick gable stacks and brick ridge stack to rear pitch of roof, plus brick coped gables on plain kneelers and moulded stone cornice. Three storeys and three bays, with single storey, single bay to north. Plain central doorcase with raised and fielded panelled door and gothick traceried overlight. To north there is a late C19 canted bay window with plain sashes and to south there is a glazing bar sash. Above there are three similar glazing bar sashes and between the northern two there is a similar narrower sash. Above again there are three similar, smaller sashes. All openings have wedge lintels with lower edge slightly arched to either side of central keystone. Addition to the north has a large 3-light segment headed window to south and a segment headed doorcase with panelled door to north. South gable wall has early C18 brickwork with vitrified headers, those to ground floor used in diamond patterns. The ground floor also has a blocked central early C18 window with flat brick arch plus stone keyblock. Above there are sawtooth brick bands and a blocked early C18 garret window. Interior has a fine early C18 staircase with robust twisted balusters, moulded oak handrail and a massive ball finial to top of newel post, up to the first floor. Above it changes to an oak newel staircase. There is also one C18 fireplace to an upper room and several two panelled early C18 doors. Listing NGR: SK3889425022.' (2)