Listed Building record MDO27357 - Old Town House (Scaplens Court Museum), High Street, Poole

Late fifteenth early sixteenth century merchant's house, now museum. Coursed Purbeck rubble incorporating various other stones, some Bath dressings, later brickwork, and a tiled roof with stone slate verges. L-shaped plan with left-hand wing, now enclosed round a quadrangular courtyard.

Scaplen's Court, formerly the George Inn, is of 14th century origin, extensively rebuilt and altered in the 15th century. The upper hall of the south wing was in use as the Town House or Guildhall until 1572. The building became the George Inn in the early 17th century and attics were added about this time. It continued in use as the George Inn until the early 19th century. <2-3>

The remains of this antiquity are still standing but are closed and shuttered pending the decision of Poole Town Council to either restore or destroy it completely. It is impossible to enter the building and the visible exterior has been much renovated. See ground photograph. <4>

Scaplen's Court is of two storeys, built of rubble and brick, with slate and tile roofs. It is an interesting example of a late Medieval quayside merchant's house and dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. Smith's identification of the building as the Medieval Guildhall <3> is in some doubt. <5-7>

Full architectural description <5>.

Listed <6> as Old Town House (Scalpens (sic) Court Museum), Grade 1. Scheduled. <7>.

Observations during the restoration of Scaplens Court in 1985 revealed a 16th century slab stone floor, below which was an earlier stone building.

Pottery dated the phase 1 Scaplen Court foundations to the 13th century. <8>

Scaplen's Court is one of the most important late-medieval urban courtyard buildings in England. <9>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Map 1:500, 1888 (Map). SWX1328.

(SZ 00879034) George Inn (NR), Ancient Building formerly (NAT)

<2> Smith, H P, 1948, History of the Borough and County of the Town of Poole. Origins and Early Development (vol. 1), 172-6 (Monograph). SWX3200.

<3> 1951, Devonshire Association reports and transactions Vol 2, 185 (Article in serial). SWX3610.

<4> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 07-DEC-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 206-8 (Monograph). SDO149.

<6> DOE (HRR), 30 June 1980, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Poole 1980, 17 (Scheduling record). SWX3744.

<7> List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands Vol 3 Page(s) 82, 83 (Monograph). SWX1955.

<8> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1987, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1986, 188-89 (Serial). SDO86.

<9> Horsey, I P, ed K Jarvis, 1992, Excavations in Poole 1973-1983, 56-59 (Monograph). SWX3766.

<10> Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1962-63, Medieval Archaeology: journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology 6-7 (Serial). SDO16924.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458257 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2024 3:33PM