Listed Building record MDO6828 - The Town Cellars, Paradise Street, Poole

A very rare and historically important surviving example of a medieval warehouse. Documentary evidence indicates it was a wool-house and was probably had a manorial origin. Excavation and building analysis has suggested two major periods of construction. It was built probably in about 1300 and modified in the fifteenth century with the construction of a new south wall and a new roof comprising arched collar beam trusses and arched wind-braces. It was cut in half in about 1788 by the creation of Thames Street. It is constructed of coursed stone rubble with ashlar dressings and a tiled roof.

The 'Town Cellar', Poole, is one of the best preserved examples of a wool-house still existing in England. The building was originally 120 feet long but has been severed into two unequal portions by the cutting-through of Thames Street in the early 19th century. <2> The remains consist of two portions: a) East of Thames Street. This is the most easily observed portion in which two possibly 15th century bricked-up windows and doorways are visible and outer buttresses may be seen. The stonework appears to be original with modern facing in places. The roof and west walls are modern; roofing timbers appear to be original. See ground photographs. b) West of Thames Street. This portion has no visible ancient exterior, being entirely surrounded by modern property. Within, possible original roofing timbers and walling are visible. The outer roof and east wall are both modern. Both portions of the building are now in use as stores by Oakley & Sons, Poole. <3> The Town Cellar, Grade 1. Formerly the Woolhouse, it is of one storey, built of coursed rubble with a tiled roof. It was built in the 15th century, but was divided into two inequal parts in the late 18th century by the creation of Thames Street. Scheduled. <4-6> The Town Cellars was excavated before its conversion to a Maritime Museum. Although most of the present structure dates from the first half of the 15th century, the archaeological evidence provided an initial construction date of about 1300. The foundations of the building were cut into a massive deposit of oyster shells having a probable east-west extent of over 100.0m. The shells, definitely the product of cultivation, have yielded a carbon - 14 date of about 690 AD. There is no other evidence of settlement at this period in Poole. <7>

Record last edited

Dec 5 2023 2:08PM