Description

WISBECH MUSEUM SQUARE
TF 4609
(West Side)
6/119 The Castle
GV II*

Villa, built in 1816 by Joseph Medworth (b.1752, d.1827),
reusing material from the mansion built by Secretary Thurloe in
1656 designed by Peter Mills (c.1600, d.1670) and demolished in
1815. Grey gault brick with reused stone dressings. Three
storeys with basement, two projecting wings to east: shallow
slated hipped roofs with two symmetrical stacks. East facade;
main entrance approached by six stone steps with railings
returning around basement forecourt. Double recessed eliptical
brick arch to double, half-glazed doors with blind fanlight and
interlacing glazing bars. Interlacing glazing bars to pseudo
windows flanking entrance with stone cills. Storey above
entrance possibly later - C19, rendered and originally with
wooden balustrade. Matching wings have one first floor nine-
paned hung sash window in double recessed segmental brick arch,
and one sixteen-paned window. Two rainwater heads with reeded
decoration (one similar at Rose and Crown). Garden facade of
seven 'bays'. Stone details reused from original Castle.
Rusticatd stone quoins at first floor, rendered ground floor.
Moulded, and off set stone bands at first and second floor.
Stone window cills and architraves; moulded stone doorcase with
large carved stone brackes supporting flat balustraded canopy.
Door, panelled and half-glazed. First floor balcony door half-
glazed with fanlight similar to window heads. Seven second
floor eight-paned hung sash windows in moulded wooden
architraves. Six, first floor sixteen-paned hung sash windows
with interlacing glazing bars at their heads. Two, recessed
casement windows in segmental aches and three blind windows at
ground floor. Interior. C14 or C15 glass depicting martyrdom
of St. Edmund. Central hall flanked by two main rooms and boxed
staircase with passages leading to small rooms in wings. Reused
material from C17 Castle includes stone floor, four, panelled
doors with shouldered and enriched architraves and three false
doors; seven carved over-doors, and cartouches over main street
entrance. Upper section of chimney piece in drawing room, and
moulded ceiling cornice. Some reused, panelled doors in
basement. The villa has been graded II* for its associations
with Joseph Medworth, and indirectly with Peter Mills who it is
believed designed the original C17 building of which so much
material has survived in the present building.
Colvin, pp286, 390, 1954.
VCH Cambs, p.242.
Pevsner, Buildings in England, p.502.
NMR (C. Godfrey, Wisbech Collction), 1982.
G. Annis, A History of Wisbech Castle, 1977.
Wisbech Society Annual Report, 1960.
Histories - Watson, 1827, Walker and Craddock, 1847,
Gardiner, 1898.
Prints and photographs, W. & F. Mus, c18 and C19.

Listing NGR: TF4626209567

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17543757

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide