NHER 26023 (Building record) - St Helen's House, Bishopgate

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Summary

St Helen's House backs onto the Great Hospital precinct (NHER 624). The rear part dates to the 18th century, and the front to a 19th-century conversion into a villa. This two-storey building is of red and grey brick in a squat T-shaped plan. The story is that the 18th century sections were built by Thomas Ivory after he had been granted a lease by the Great Hospital, possibly for funding large amounts of work in the church of St Helen (NHER 588), in which you can still see his family's pew. Inside is an oval room with paintings of classical themes, including Apollo and Daphne, said to have been by Angelica Kauffmann. Outside is an 18th century full length lead figure of Meleager leaning on a tree trunk with the Calydonian boar's head to the right, and this may be a copy of a Roman piece.

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Location

Map sheet TG20NW
Civil Parish NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

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St Helen's House, Bishopgate.

June 1972. Listed, Grade II*.
Excerpt of Listing Description (revised 1984):
"Former house, now nursing home. 19th century with 18th-century rear. Red and grey brick. Black pantiles. Squat 'T'-shape plan. Two storeys. Three-bay centre block with two-bay recessed wings to each side. Semi-circular central bay with central door with rectangular fanlight and attached Doric columns supporting fluted architrave and small hood...Bracket cornice. Hipped roofs. Conical lead roof above centre bay. Interior: Oval entrance hall has three curved doors and cornice. Simple mahogany staircase with oval fluted skylight. Oval room above hall has painting said to be by Angelica Kauffmann. Music room to right has painted doomed ceiling and panels over the doors. Another room to left... has coved ceiling with moulded Adam-style swags."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 9 August 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 8 March 2024.

A statue of Meleagur in the grounds of St Helen's house and a boundary wall were seperately Listed Grade II in June 1972. These are now recorded as NHERs 68153 and 68154 respectively.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 March 2024.

  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 298.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The Norwich 12. 2 February.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 210.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.
  • STATUE (17th Century to 21st Century - 1700 AD to 2050 AD)

Record last edited

Mar 8 2024 10:11PM

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