NHER 26193 (Building record) - 71, Bethel Street (formerly 68 St Giles Street, Churchman House)

February 1954. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Former town house, now offices. Dated to around 1730 with 19th century alterations and addition. Red Brick. Pantile roof. L-shape plan. Two storeys and plinth. Seven bays, the central three bays project with rusticated quoins. Pediment over three central bays with three light lunette."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Beers (HES), 13 March 2020.

(S2) notes that one of the framed paintings mentioned above is by Pellegrini dated to 1710-20 by Francis Hawcroft (an expert on Pellegrini) who believed it was not painted for the house but brought here in a collection.
E. Rose (NLA) 5 February 2004.

1979. Norwich Survey.
See (S3) for (S4) and photocopies of photographs of exterior and interior features.
T.E. Miller (NLA) 3 November 2004.

Historic building report.
The building is a fine example of a Georgian town house with Rococo plaster work. The façade comprises seven bays of sash windows with glazing bars beneath skewback arches with advanced central three bearing channelled rusticated quoins. The interior has a pair of rooms flanking the double height hall. In the eastern room there is a Rococo plaster ceiling with a typical representation of a rural idyll. The walls have five paintings with scenes from Greek mythology, two of which that been attributed to Pellegrini. The the ground floor rooms have marble and stone fireplaces with deeply cut scenes of peaceful rural life. They have been attributed to Sir Henry Cheere who carved a Churchman memorial in the adjacent church of St Giles. The buildings has recently been repaired, conserved and converted into a registery office.
See (S5) for further details.
S. Howard (NLA), 14 June 2010.