Medieval Merchant's House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Medieval Merchant's House |
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| Type | Timber-framed |
| Location | 58 French Street, Southampton |
| OS grid reference | SU 41917 11180 |
| Area | Hampshire |
| Built | 1290 |
| Owner | English Heritage |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Medieval Merchant's House | |
| Designated | 14 July 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1092048 |
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The Medieval Merchant's House is a very old building in Southampton, England. It was built around 1290 by a rich merchant named John Fortin. This house is special because it has stayed mostly the same for hundreds of years.
During World War II, bombs damaged the house in 1940. This damage actually showed its original medieval inside! In the 1980s, the house was carefully fixed to look like it did when it was first built. Now, English Heritage takes care of it, and you can visit it as a tourist attraction. The house has a special design with a cellar (called an undercroft) for storing wine. It also has a bedroom that sticks out over the street to make more space. Experts say it's important because it's "the only building of its type to survive substantially as first built." It is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's a very important historic site.
Contents
History of the Merchant's House
Early Days: 1200s to 1400s
The Medieval Merchant's House was built around 1290 on French Street in Southampton. Back then, Southampton was a big port city with about 5,000 people. It became rich from trading with other parts of Europe. The French Street area was changed to make room for large, impressive houses. These houses were often made of stone with tiled roofs.
The house was built for John Fortin, who was a successful wine merchant. It had a cellar to store wine barrels and a shop at the front. The family lived in the rest of the house. Most of it was made of stone, but the front was made of timber, which was a popular style at the time. Many other houses like this one were built in Southampton around the same period.
By the 1330s, Southampton's wealth started to decrease. In 1338, French attackers raided the town. They burned some buildings and damaged Southampton Castle. The Merchant's House might have been damaged too, as one corner of the building fell down around that time. It was quickly rebuilt, and a fireplace was added. After these attacks, Southampton's economy struggled. French Street began to change, and many large houses were divided into smaller ones. The Merchant's House was no longer used by rich merchants. By 1392, it was rented out to other people.
During the 1400s, Southampton's economy got better because of wool trade with Italy. The Merchant's House was bought by several important merchants. However, it stayed as one single house. Many other houses nearby were combined to make bigger homes, which was the new fashion. But in the mid-1500s, Southampton's trade with Italy slowed down, and the city's economy suffered again. A new room called a parlour was added to the house. Also, a floor was put across the open hall to create more sleeping space.
Later Years: 1500s to 1900s
In the 1600s, the house was changed into three separate small homes. This meant adding a new door and more fireplaces. Southampton's economy and importance didn't really improve until the 1700s. Then, it became a well-known cultural center.
In 1780, the three small homes were changed back into one building. A Mrs. Collins owned it and used it as a place for actors to stay. During the Victorian era, Southampton grew a lot. New docks were built, and a new railway line was added. The Medieval Merchant's House was changed again. By 1883, it had become a beer-shop and a popular pub called the Bull's Head.
Modern Times: 1900s and Today
In 1940, during World War II, Southampton was heavily bombed. German bombs badly damaged the house. This damage actually helped reveal its original medieval inside! Because of this, Southampton City Council bought the property. In 1972, it was given to the government, and then in 1984, English Heritage took over its care.
It was decided to fix up the Medieval Merchant's House so people could visit it. The restoration work happened between 1983 and 1985. The goal was to make the house look as much like its medieval self as possible. Workers removed parts that had been added later. If original medieval parts were missing, they were rebuilt based on what archaeologists found. The finished house was filled with copies of furniture from the late 1200s and 1300s. Even the staff who work there originally wore medieval-style uniforms!
The Medieval Merchant's House, located at 58 French Street, is still a popular place to visit today. It is a Grade I listed building and a protected historic site.
How the House Was Built
Today, the Medieval Merchant's House faces French Street. Its walls are made of stone, and the front is made of timber. The house has a special medieval design. The main hall stretches away from the street to save space at the front. There is no inner courtyard. This house is very important to architects and historians. Expert Glyn Coppack says it is "the only building of its type to survive substantially as first built."
At the front of the house, on the ground floor, there is a rebuilt medieval shop front. This is where the owner would have sold his goods. Behind the shop is the main room, called the hall. Originally, it had an open fire in the middle. Now, it has a chimney from the 1300s. A hallway runs along one side of the hall. Hallways were common back then, but they were hard to light well. At the back of the house is a private inner room with a fancy ceiling.
Underneath the house is an undercroft, or cellar. This was designed to keep wine barrels cool. The brick floor you see today was added in the 1700s. Cellars like this are found in other old English towns near the coast or rivers, like Winchester and London.
On the second floor, the house has two bedrooms: an east bedchamber and a west bedchamber. They are connected by a walkway over the central hall. The east bedchamber is at the front of the house and sticks out over the street. This was a clever way to add more space to houses. You can see this feature in other old towns like Shrewsbury and York. You can even see some of the original builders' marks on the wooden beams in this room! The west bedchamber looks more like it did in the 1800s than in medieval times, as its Victorian-era ceiling was kept. The roof of the house is a new version of the original medieval roof, covered with Cornish slate.
More to Explore
- Economy of England in the Middle Ages
- Barley Hall, another medieval building that was restored
- King John's Palace, a Norman merchant's house also in Southampton
