More information : ST592733 Bakers' Hall, a 13th century building with rubble exterior and open timber roof of five 'bays' which may be the oldest to survive in Bristol. The passage beneath was the south walk of the 'lesser cloister'; the east walk is now covered by the New Hall. Monastery infirmary, bakers' guild hall, now office. Part of the Dominican friary of c1230, guild hall c1540, converted into house C18, restored C19 and C20. Pennant rubble with limestone dressings and sprocketed pantile roof. First-floor hall plan. 2 storeys. Much rebuilt external walls. S elevation of 3-window first-floor range. Central C20 external stack; to right are 2 mid C19 two-light plate-trace windows, above four C20 windows in plain C20 stone architraves. To left of stack is C18 segmental brick arch over similar C19 plate-tracery window as to right, and a springer for C13 arched windows; on ground floor, from left, is a blocked C13 pointed-arched doorway, jambs for a C17 window, blocked C17 two-light stone-mullioned window, and half a C15 Perpendicular window adjoining the inserted stack, reset 196 and taken from the nave of the former friary church. W gable end has C17 doorway with chamfered arch and C19 6/6-pane sas set under a concrete lintel above. N elevation has 2 mid C20 pointed-arched openings under C17 relieving arches, with springers for relieving arch to a blocked C13 arch on the left; similar arch to blocked first-floor window.
INTERIOR: C14 five and a half bay arch-braced collar beam crown-post roof with lateral bracing to crown post principals jointed above collars, lower pointed-arched wind braces, chamfered through-purlins and wall plate, set on C20 corbels, common rafters and collars mostly C20; chimney breast of inserted C18 house at the W end. Possibly the oldest roof in Bristol, restored 1973. The ground-floor passage was probably the S walk of the 'lower cloister', and the E walk is now covered by the New Hall (qv). Bought by the Bakers' Guild after the Reformation.
(Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979-: 22).
Grade I (1)
The site within Quakers Friars was formerly situated within the post-war concrete shopping development of Broadmead and the buildings including Bakers' Hall were council offices including the Register Office. As of the mid 2000s the offices have been closed while the whole area undergoes redevelopment, to be known as Cabot Circus. It opened in 2008 and the Register Office has moved to the Old Council House on Corn Street. (2-3) |