Medieval building reopened after £300k restoration

A medieval building that was once on the national "at risk" register has been restored and will now be open to the public.

The Grade I listed building at 26 Westgate Street in Gloucester is the largest surviving historic timber-framed townhouse in the country.

Historic England supported the restoration with a grant of more than £300,000.

Andrew Malone, owner of 26 Westgate, said: "The building is looking fantastic and the door to Maverdine Lane is now open to the public to enjoy the amazing Tudor facade."

Mr Malone added that the repair work had been "a long time coming," but was "well worth the wait".

The director of Gloucester Antiques Centre, Kathy Williams, said the "medieval gem" now has the ability to "grow and offer more space to antique dealers".

As part of the restoration, Historic England's team carried out research on the history of the building.

They found that the building had a front section which was built around 1620 and a rear section dating back to around 1590.

They also found the rear part of the townhouse was built by John Browne Senior - a mercer or cloth merchant.

His son John Browne Junior, who added the front section, was a brewer and three-time mayor of Gloucester.

During the medieval period, the building would have fronted the main market area on Westgate Street and was known as 'the mercery' due to it being widely used by various cloth merchants.

Ross Simmonds, South West regional director at Historic England, said: "The restoration of the Gloucester Antiques Centre is another vital step in the ongoing regeneration of Gloucester, breathing life back into a much-loved building and securing its place in the community for years to come."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.