Site Event/Activity record ECC1653 - Demolition Survey of All Saints Court, Colchester, 1939

Location

Location All Saints Court, Colchester
Grid reference TL 99876 25163 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Technique(s)

Organisation

Unknown

Date

1939

Map

Description

In 1939 All Saints Court was demolished. A number of photographs were taken of the frame of the house which was identified as late 15th century rather than the 16th century date suggested by the RCHME. Part of the structure was removed for display in the museum and the stone cellar was filled in, the following report was compiled by the Museum. The structure was a '15th century building which stood east of the Grammar School, ...The sola-wing, which ran south from the west end was destroyed before the cottages forming the west side of All Saints Court were built...the building was constructed of three bays one of which has been preserved in the museum, together with the carved door-heads. Excellent detail drawings of the construction, mage by Mr Sissons, are also in the Museum...The cellars beneath this building were masonry plastered over. The walls formed the foundations for the hall walls, the roof under the hall was of wood, on plain heavy joists of re-used timber. On the south certain small chambers ran off, and these were cross-vaulted, the vaulting plain and pointed. In the walls were frequent shallow, pointed recesses...It was intended to preserve the cellars, but long exposure during the 1939-45 war caused the plaster to crack and give, exposing the fact that the "masonry" was mostly plaster, made up with blocks of chalk and some Roman tile. Near the original stairs (at the South East corner) part of the walling was of small sixed bricks. Measurements were taken by Mr Poulter before filling in the vaults, but only a much longer survey and detailed examination could unravel the confusion caused by many recent alterations in modern brick and plaster".<1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Unpublished document: Colchester Museums. 1939. Social History File: Culver St, All Saints Court. Filed under 'Culver Street'.

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

  • All Saints Court, Culver Street East, Colchester (Building)

Record last edited

Feb 10 2016 11:22AM

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